Senate, governor seats up for grabs in Nevada; state could help reshape Congress
The big day is almost here: Nevadans across the state will head to the polls Tuesday to make decisions that could reshape the national political landscape.
Silver State voters will decide whether Republican Sen. Dean Heller stays in Washington or gets replaced with Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen. Nevadans will pick a new governor, possibly sending a Democrat to Carson City for the first time in two decades. And voters will choose whether Democrats keep two open House seats, potentially reshaping control of the chamber.
Polls statewide are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and registered voters can cast a ballot at any one of the 172 vote centers in Clark County. Locations and wait times can be found at clarkcountynv.gov. Nevadans can also visit GetToThePolls.com to find a center.
Anyone in line at the time the polls close will be permitted to cast a ballot, said Jennifer Russell, a spokeswoman for the Nevada secretary of state’s office. Ride-hailing company Lyft will offer free rides to the polls all day. Text “VoteLV” to 73179 to get a ride.
“This midterm election season has gotten in the bloodstream of the American people in a way that has not happened before,” said Stephanie Young, spokeswoman for When We All Vote, a nonprofit that has partnered with Uber and Lyft to get voters to the polls.
Uber is offering $10 off rides to the polls and added a feature in its app that helps customers find their polling stations by typing in a home address.
“In this critically important election, we want to do our part and use Uber’s technology to help drive the vote,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an email. “Decisions get made by those who show up and we believe Uber can help voters show up like never before.”
Zipcar, which allows members to rent cars on an hourly basis, is offering a $20 credit on election night, enough to cover about two hours of driving, said spokeswoman Katelyn Chesley. Zipcar has been offering discounts for election-related rides since the company was founded in 2000, Chesley said.
“There’s a lot of people who have really busy schedules during the daytime, and we just really want to make sure every last voice is heard,” Chesley said.
This is the second time Lyft has offered discounted or free rides to the polls and Uber’s first.
In one of the most closely watched races, voters will choose between Heller, the incumbent senator, and Rosen, a freshman representative who promises to be a check on President Donald Trump. Heller has been criticized for his cozy relationship with Trump and waffling on a promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Rosen has gotten heat for fundraising outside the state and being too close to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who’s often viewed as a polarizing figure.
Heller is the only Senate Republican seeking re-election in a state carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, and winning the seat is imperative if Democrats have any chance at taking back the Senate.
Rosen on Monday headed to the Culinary Workers Union Hall with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., to fire up block walkers and volunteers working telephone banks.
“Our strength is knocking on doors,” Cortez Masto told union members wearing red shirts and caps emblazoned with the slogan: “For Our Family.”
The union volunteers chanted “We vote, we win” as they prepared to fan out into neighborhoods to urge people to vote for Democratic candidates.
“That one more knock, that one last call is going to make a difference,” Rosen said. “So let’s go out and get some votes.”
Also at the top of the ballot, Democrat Steve Sisolak and Republican Adam Laxalt face off for the governor’s mansion. The race is in a dead heat and might be determined by how many votes independent Ryan Bundy pulls.
Democrat Steve Horsford and Republican Cresent Hardy will go head-to-head in a rematch to fill Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, a seat being vacated by Rep. Ruben Kihuen amid sexual misconduct allegations. And in the 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Susie Lee and Republican Danny Tarkanian are vying to replace Rosen, who left her seat to run against Heller.
Six initiatives are on the ballot, including measures to exempt sanitary napkins, tampons and medical equipment from sales tax. There are also initiatives to open Nevada’s electric market to competitor, enshrine certain victim’s rights into the Nevada Constitution, increase the state’s renewable energy portfolio and automatically register residents to vote at the DMV.
Cortez Masto said Democrats were enthusiastic throughout the state, where early votes were higher than previous midterm elections. More than 554,000 Nevadans cast a ballot during the two-week early voting period, surpassing the total number of ballots cast in 2014.
No major issues were reported at poll sites. Election officials said voters should notify a poll worker immediately if they experience problems with voting equipment. Poll workers are allowed to ask for identification if they determine that a voter’s signature at the polling center does not match the signature on file.
The secretary of state’s office this year is also making a push against misinformation about voting, especially on social media. False information can be reported to the Election Division by calling 775-684-5705.
Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter. Gary Martin of the Review-Journal Washington Bureau and The Associated Press contributed to this report.