There are 100 days until Nevada voters get to make their voices heard in the race for the White House. NV Dems are building the infrastructure necessary across the state to ensure that every Nevadan can exercise their right to vote and that we re-elect President Joe Biden in 2024 as well as Democrats down the ballot.
After moving away from a party-run caucus, Nevada Democrats passed legislation to implement a more accessible and expansive state-run presidential preference primary (PPP). The new primary procedure will ensure every eligible Nevadan has access to the ballot box and highlights the diversity of our state, one of the very reasons Nevada was moved up in the Democratic nominating calendar.
NV Dems will be launching an extensive education campaign to ensure that voters are informed about the new process. This will include outreach to our allied civic organizations, recruiting volunteers from diverse backgrounds, and providing educational materials in multiple languages in order to inform key constituency groups.
A Reflection of America
Nevada historically plays a crucial part in deciding our nominee and the winner of the presidency. As a majority-minority state with a strong union population, Nevada’s electorate is much more reflective of the Democratic Party and the nation as a whole compared to other early states. Now second in the nation, Nevada is the first battleground state in Democrats’ nominating calendar.Below is a breakdown of the diversity that makes us so unique:
- With its majority-minority status, Nevada is the third most diverse state in the country and the most diverse battleground state.
- Nevada’s Latino community makes up over 30% of the state’s population
- We are home to over 11,000 Dreamers and more than 6,000 TPS recipients, many whom make up our workforce and union population
- Nearly 30% of Nevada’s households speak a non-English language at home, with the most common being Spanish, Tagalog, and Chinese
- We are home to one of the fastest-growing AAPI communities in the country
- Nevada’s Black community is steadily growing at a rate faster than at the national level
- 11.3% of Nevadans are union members–the largest organized labor presence of any early state and the 5th largest in the U.S.
- We are represented by Female-majorities in our federal delegation, Nevada Supreme Court, and we’re the first and only female-majority state legislature in the country
A Delegate Selection Process that Prioritizes Accessibility
In 2021, Nevada Democrats passed legislation to implement a state-run PPP, leading to a new Delegate Selection Process. This cycle, the three-step process to becoming a national delegate includes:
- Presidential Preference Primary (February 6): Democrats across the state will now have the opportunity to cast their ballots by mail, participate in nearly two weeks of early voting, and vote on Primary Day to cast their preference for the nomination.
- Assembly District-Level Delegate Election Meetings (April 13): Democrats who participate in the PPP will have the opportunity to join a Delegate Election Meeting (DEM) in their Assembly District. At DEMs, attendees will elect delegates to the state convention.
- State Convention (May 18): state convention delegates will gather in Las Vegas to choose delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
A state-run primary, with extensive early vote and vote-by-mail options, is inherently more accessible and will lead to increased participation. And, the state party has appointed a diverse Affirmative Action Committee charged with overseeing outreach efforts about the Delegate Selection Process in critical communities. In tandem, these will result in a fresh crop of potential delegates to represent Nevada in Chicago next August.
On the Margins
Nevada has a record of carrying the Democratic nominee through the general election, electing Barack Obama in 2008, again in 2012, and Hillary Clinton carried the state in 2016. In 2020, after finishing fourth in Iowa and 5th in New Hampshire, Biden’s second place finish in the Nevada caucus propelled his campaign forward and gave him the boost he needed to win South Carolina just a few days later and ultimately become our nominee.
Nevada remains a battleground with a Senate seat up for grabs and the three Democratic congressional districts remaining toss-ups. In 2022, Catherine Cortez Masto won re-election in the closest Senate race of the cycle, delivering a majority for Democrats. Up and down the ballot, Nevada’s primary will be the first step in securing the Silver State for President Joe Biden, re-electing Jacky Rosen to the Senate, re-electing Dina Titus, Steven Horsford, and Susie Lee to the House of Representatives, and securing a Democratic supermajority in both chambers of the legislature.
