Signature Collection Packet
(Every eligible voter has a right) To fully participate in all publicly funded elections without limitations, including, but not limited to, any requirement to affiliate with any private organization, such as a political party.
This ballot question will become part of the current Voter Bill of Rights in the Nevada Constitution, so it is a constitutional amendment.
In Nevada, 37% of active voters are registered nonpartisans, meaning they are not members of a political party. The Democratic and Republican Parties each have 28% of registered voters, so both are getting close to only having one-quarter of voters as members. Yet our current election system limits participation in top-of-the-ballot primary races to party members only. This blocks nonpartisans from voting in the primary races of important offices, such as the U.S. Senate, Congress, Governor, Legislators, Attorney General, and Secretary of State.
Currently, nonpartisan voters must change their registration to join a political party to exercise their right to participate in these publicly funded elections. After this ballot question is added to the Nevada Constitution, nonpartisan voters will be able to request a Democratic or Republican ballot without changing their registration.
It is fundamentally unfair for all voters, who are taxpayers, to pay for primary elections, while not being allowed to vote in all elections. This suppresses the largest group of voters' voices by denying their ability to participate in important elections.
If either political party wishes to nominate candidates by only allowing members to vote, that party can pay for a private caucus or convention.
As a constitutional amendment, this ballot question must pass in two election cycles; so in 2026 and 2028. The legislature will then implement this new right to vote in the 2029 legislative session to be applied in the 2030 mid-term election.
Signature Collection Packet
(Every eligible voter has a right) To have equal rights and treatment in all aspects of representative government without regard to political party affiliation, including, but not limited to, processes that determine representation through apportionment and redistricting.
This ballot question is being added to the current Voter Bill of Rights in the Nevada Constitution, so it is a constitutional amendment.
In Nevada, 37% of active voters are registered nonpartisans, meaning they are not members of a political party. The Democratic and Republican Parties each have 28% of registered voters, so both are getting close to only having one-quarter of voters as members. Our current redistricting process, however, places the political parties in control of drawing our district maps after each Census. Your district determines who will represent you in government.
Giving political parties in Nevada the power to draw district maps that favor the party in power through gerrymandering means the party drawing the maps represents only 28% of voters, not the 62% who are in another party or not members of either party. This is not representative government.
Despite being 37% of voters, nonpartisan voters have no representatives in our legislature, so these voters have no power over the drawing or passage of these crucial maps. We believe every voter has a right to equal rights and fair treatment in all aspects of representative government, including the redistricting process.
Further, many Nevadans felt disrespected and silenced during the special legislative session. This special legislative session is the perfect example of why we must protect fundamental rights, such as equal and fair treatment in all aspects of representative government.
Signature Collection Packet
The limitation in this Section does not apply to the proposal of any initiative that would amend the Nevada Constitution; however, if any potential appropriation or expenditure of money may result from such an initiative, the description of effect for the initiative shall include the following language: 'This initiative petition may require an appropriation or otherwise require the expenditure of money.'
In 2022, the Nevada Supreme Court reinterpreted the Nevada Constitution, changing a long-standing rule governing ballot questions. Until 2022, if a Nevadan proposed a new law that would cost tax dollars through a ballot question, the ballot question would have had to include a tax or funding source. The language in the Nevada Constitution did not include constitutional amendment ballot questions under this requirement.
Then, in 2022, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a new ruling stating that, going forward, It ruled that the Nevada Constitution now required constitutional amendment ballot questions to include taxes or funding sources if even $1 would be spent in their implementation.
It is impossible to manage taxes once they are enshrined in the state constitution, because amending the constitution takes at least 5 years. We therefore propose this amendment to make it clear that the original interpretation of the Nevada Constitution has been restored. We should not put taxes into the Nevada Constitution, and once this amendment passes, we will not be forced to do so.