As we enter the next cycle, Vote Nevada is launching our Be A Down-Ballot Voter initiative. In a state with automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, vote centers, ten days of early voting, and universal mail-in voting, it is troubling that under 30 percent of voters regularly participate in the primary. If we value our democratic processes, we cannot afford to allow such low voter engagement to become the status quo.
Vote Nevada is ready to tackle the daunting task of convincing non-voters to cast their votes. In Clark County alone, thousands of new 18-year-old and new resident voters become eligible every election cycle. Even if our K12 and higher ed education systems entirely taught Nevada-specific civics, many new voters who arrive in the state between elections would still need help.
A key part of the solution is public civics education so that all voters can understand and navigate our voter registration and election processes. Automatically registering someone to vote at the DMV and hoping they vote is not enough. Instead, every voter needs easily accessible answers to their civic and election questions.
Dark money spent bombarding voters with negative messaging in the top-of-the-ballot races can also deter voters from voting, which hurts the less well-funded, down-ballot races. This can devastate local races, such as those for school board trustees and judges, where a handful of votes can make the difference.
Vote Nevada focuses on down-ballot races to raise awareness of local elections. Education and judicial races are two types of down-ballot races that impact every Nevadan. Regardless of whether you have children in school or have direct contact with our judicial system, what happens in the classroom and the courtroom influences our lives.
You can sign up for our Vote Nevada emails to stay up-to-date and to learn more about these types of races. Visit our blog for current civic engagement opportunities and community news: https://vote-nevada-blog.org/
Our exemplar of civic citizenship will remain Shirley Chisholm. We continue to admire Shirley’s accomplishments, including being the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968 and the first Black woman to run for the presidential nomination of a major political party in 1972.
Professionally, Shirley was an educator who ran for office to strengthen the systems that support children. No matter the barriers or obstacles, Shirley Chisholm was an engaged civic citizen who always valued the right to vote.
Throughout her political career, Shirley experienced bullying, sexism, and racism, and she watched horrific violence in her own community and around the world. However, she never gave up and continued fighting. Let’s honor her work and strive to be like Shirley.
Please get in touch with us if you’d like to help with the Be A Down-Ballot Voter Initiative. Email us at info@vote-nevada.org or call or text at 702-803-1569.