2020 Nevada elections
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elections were held in Nevada on November 3, 2020.[2] On that date, the state held elections for U.S. President, U.S. House of Representatives, Nevada Assembly, 10 of the 21 seats in the Nevada Senate, and various others. In addition, several measures were on the ballot.
To vote by mail, registered Nevada voters had to ensure each ballot was postmarked by November 3 and received by November 10, 2020.[3]
Federal offices
President of the United States
Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump was challenged by Democratic nominee Joe Biden in 2020.[2] Prior to election day, news outlets and polls predicted Nevada to have a slight lean towards Biden. Nevada has six electoral votes in the Electoral College.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Nevada has four congressional districts that elect four delegates to the U.S. House of Representatives.[2] Since the 2016 elections, three representatives have been Democratic.
State offices
State senate
10 of the 21 seats of the Nevada Senate were up for election.[2] Democrats have retained a majority control of the senate since 2017.
State Assembly
All 42 seats of the Nevada Assembly were up for election.[2] Democrats have retained a majority control of the assembly since 2017.
Judiciary
Supreme Court
Two seats on the Nevada Supreme Court were up for election.
Seat B
 | ||||||||||||||||
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 Pickering: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | ||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent justice Kristina Pickering ran for re-election. Justice Pickering was the only candidate to receive over 50% in the primary election, making her the only candidate to move onto the general election, where she was re-elected unopposed.
Candidates
- Thomas Christensen, lawyer[5]
- Kristina Pickering, incumbent chief justice of the Nevada Supreme Court[5]
- Esther Rodriguez, private attorney[5]
Results
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Nonpartisan | Kristina Pickering (incumbent) | 262,119 | 57.39% | |
| Nonpartisan | Esther C. Rodriguez | 101,913 | 22.31% | |
| Nonpartisan | Thomas Christensen | 58,421 | 12.79% | |
| None of These Candidates | 34,279 | 7.51% | ||
| Total votes | 456,732 | 100.0% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Nonpartisan | Kristina Pickering (incumbent) | 905,541 | 77.43% | |
| None of These Candidates | 263,976 | 22.57% | ||
| Total votes | 1,169,517 | 100.0% | ||
Seat D
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 Herndon: 40–50%
50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent justice Mark Gibbons chose to retire and not run for re-election.[8]
Candidates
- Ozzie Fumo, state assemblyman[9]
- Douglas Herndon, Judge of the Eight Judicial District Court (Civil/Criminal Division, Department 3)[10]
- Erv Nelson, former state assemblyman (2014–2016)[11]
Results
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Nonpartisan | Douglas Herndon | 205,151 | 45.02% | |
| Nonpartisan | Ozzie Fumo | 162,364 | 35.63% | |
| Nonpartisan | Erv Nelson | 47,076 | 10.33% | |
| None of These Candidates | 41,095 | 9.02% | ||
| Total votes | 455,686 | 100.0% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Nonpartisan | Douglas Herndon | 557,584 | 45.37% | |
| Nonpartisan | Ozzie Fumo | 445,871 | 36.28% | |
| None of These Candidates | 225,623 | 18.36% | ||
| Total votes | 1,229,078 | 100.0% | ||
Court of Appeals
One seat on the Nevada Court of Appeals was up for election.
Department 3
Incumbent Judge Bonnie Bulla was appointed by Governor Steve Sisolak in 2019 to replace Abbi Silver, who was elected to the Nevada Supreme Court in 2018.[12] Judge Bulla ran for re-election to serve out the remainder of Justice Silver's term, ending in 2022.
Candidates
- Bonnie A. Bulla, incumbent Judge of the Nevada Court of Appeals[13]
- Susan Bush, criminal defense attorney[13]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Bonnie A. Bulla (incumbent) | 499,827 | 42.17% | |
| Nonpartisan | Susan Bush | 422,377 | 35.63% | |
| None of These Candidates | 263,183 | 22.20% | ||
| Total votes | 1,185,387 | 100.0% | ||
Ballot Initiatives
On the ballot were five statewide questions for Nevada Constitution amendments. The first one appears to be rejected while the four other questions are approved.[14]
Question 2 repeals the struck-down same-sex marriage ban, replacing it with a gender-neutral formulation.
State Question 1
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November 3, 2020
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Remove Constitutional Status of Board of Regents Amendment | |||
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- "Remove provisions governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents and its control and management of the affairs and funds of the State University and require the Legislature to provide by law for the governance, control, and management of the State University."
- "Require the Legislature to provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, employees, and contractors of Nevada’s public higher education institutions."
- "Revise provisions governing the administration of certain funding derived under federal law and dedicated for the benefit of certain departments of the State University."
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 626,146 | 49.85 | |
| Against | 630,023 | 50.15 | |
| Total | 1,256,169 | 100.00 | |
State Question 2
- "Remove an existing provision that only a marriage between a male person and a female person may be recognized and given effect in Nevada."
- "Require that the State of Nevada and its political subdivisions must recognize marriages of and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender, and that all legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law."
- "Provide that religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to perform a marriage, and that no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for refusing to perform a marriage."
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 821,050 | 62.43 | |
| Against | 494,186 | 37.57 | |
| Total | 1,315,236 | 100.00 | |
State Question 3
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November 3, 2020
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State Board of Pardons Commissioners Amendment | |||
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- "Require the State Board of Pardons Commissioners—whose members are the Governor, the justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, and the Nevada Attorney General—to meet at least quarterly."
- "Authorize each member of the Board to submit matters for consideration by the Board."
- "Authorize the Board to grant pardons and make other clemency decisions by a majority vote of its members without requiring the Governor to be part of the majority of the Board that votes in favor of such decisions."
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 782,015 | 61.18 | |
| Against | 496,287 | 38.82 | |
| Total | 1,278,302 | 100.00 | |
State Question 4
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November 3, 2020
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State Constitutional Rights of Voters Amendment | |||
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"Guarantee specific voting rights to all qualified and registered voters in the State."
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 826,719 | 64.12 | |
| Against | 462,544 | 35.88 | |
| Total | 1,289,263 | 100.00 | |
State Question 6
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November 3, 2020
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Renewable Energy Standards Initiative | |||
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"Require, beginning in calendar year 2022, that all providers of electric utility services who sell electricity to retail customers for consumption in Nevada generate or acquire incrementally larger percentages of electricity from renewable energy resources so that by calendar year 2030 not less than 50 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by each provider to its retail customers in Nevada comes from renewable energy resources."
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 747,581 | 57.94 | |
| Against | 542,654 | 42.06 | |
| Total | 1,290,235 | 100.00 | |
Polling
State Question 2
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear