EDITORIAL: The count continues: Nevada awaits election results

With tens of thousands of ballots — primarily of the mail-in variety — still uncounted, Nevada’s election results remain uncertain. The stakes are large: The final tally of the Silver State’s tightly contested U.S. Senate race will help determine who controls the upper chamber.

With an estimated 80 percent of the votes recorded, Republican Adam Laxalt leads Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the Democratic incumbent, by more than 22,000 votes. A victory for the GOP would give the party at least 50 seats, potentially once again leaving a December Georgia runoff as the deciding factor. If Sen. Cortez Masto emerges victorious, and Democrats hold on to a lead in the Arizona race, her party’s continue control of the Senate would be assured.

However the remaining ballots break, the results highlight the nation’s divide. GOP control of the House will be by a razor-thin margin. The Senate is virtually deadlocked. In Nevada, many races are neck-and-neck, some — particularly for the Legislature — feature candidates separated by fewer than 100 votes. Who says your vote doesn’t count?

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo had a 40,000-vote lead over incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, which might be a tough hill for the latter to conquer. Nevada’s three Democratic U.S. House members look to be in reasonable position to eke out victories, although these were tight races in districts drawn to maximize the party’s advantage. Republicans seem poised to win two or three state constitutional offices for the first time since 2014. Democrats will once again run the Legislature but will not enjoy supermajorities.

Nationally, the Republican landslide never materialized, although projections have the party taking control of the House, albeit with a smaller majority than expected. That should still be a significant factor in limiting President Joe Biden’s destructive economic and regulatory agenda.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell raised concerns in August about GOP “candidate quality,” and his comment proved prescient in places such as Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Georgia, where Republicans squandered opportunities to hold seats or make gains. The results certainly don’t provide momentum for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential plans, particularly as far as independent voters are concerned.

Overall, the election went smoothly in Nevada and turnout was robust, nearing 50 percent of registered voters. The late results are indeed frustrating but are an inevitable consequence of legislative Democrats approving universal mail ballots. That policy is unlikely to change in the near future, but perhaps majority state lawmakers should consider earlier deadlines for such ballots to ensure timely tabulations.