LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After years of voting early in the presidential primary calendar, Nevada Democrats finally had a chance at the top prize: the first in the nation to cast ballots for president in 2028.
It promised to be a banner year for Democrats: The second term of Donald Trump is ending, the disastrous end of the Joe Biden administration (and the failure of the Kamala Harris campaign) in the rear-view mirror, and a surfeit of candidates seeking the office.
Nevada had everything the national Democratic party said it was looking for: racial diversity, ease of voting, an affordable media market and the battleground title that came from electing both Republicans and Democrats to statewide office.
But in the end, it just wasn't enough. Steve Sebelius explains what happened:
South Carolina beat the Silver State in a 26-19 vote, with four votes going to New Hampshire. Under the vote, South Carolina would vote on Jan. 22, 2028, with Nevada following on Feb. 1, New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15 and Michigan on Feb. 22.
"We worked for over a year, for years, because we truly believe that the constituency that we have here in Nevada is what the next presidential candidate will need to build that coalition that the Democratic Party needs to build back and win back," said Daniele Monreo-Moreno, the chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party, and a longtime Nevada assemblywoman.
"And yes, I really wanted things to start here in the state of Nevada because I believe that we're the constituency, we're the coalition that needs to be built," she added. "While we're not the very first state to open up the calendar, we are the first battleground state. We are the states that the candidates will really have a true test if they can build the coalition."
The state pulled out some big guns to help its bid, including a video featuring U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Rep. Steven Horsford, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar and Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy II.
But one of the features that made Nevada attractive as an early state — its ease of voting — may also have been one of the things that ultimately killed its bid.
Under state law, mail-in ballots can be received and counted up to four days after Election Day, provided that they are postmarked by that date. That practice was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June in a case originating in Mississippi.
One potential downside of that practice is that late-arriving ballots can change the outcome of close races, leaving people guessing as to the winner on election night and several days thereafter. Given the national attention and tight timelines of subsequent primaries, it's critical for the winner to be known right away.
But Monroe-Moreno said the state will be able to declare a winner quickly, saying election procedures have come a long way since universal mail-in balloting started during the pandemic in 2020.
"So, in 2028 we'll have at least 90% to 98% of those ballots in and counted, what we have on hand. So we'll have a really good feel of who the winner is that night," she said.
Instead of lamenting the law, Monroe-Moreno said it was proof that Nevada has made it as easy as possible to vote, with early voting, universal mail-in voting, voting centers, same-day voter registration and the longest possible time to return a ballot, "things other states wish they had," she said.
Relentlessly upbeat, Monroe-Moreno says Nevada will still get most of the benefits of an early state, including hiring of campaign staff, opening of campaign offices and those all-important visits from would be presidents that allow regular voters to interact with the candidates.
"But no matter where we are on the calendar, Nevada always stands out and presidential candidates know they have to win the vote here in this state because all pathways to the White House lead through this state," she said.
On the Republican side, the GOP is expected to maintain the current slate of early states, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, although the final calendar or order hasn't been determined.
In 2024, Nevada Republicans boycotted the state-run presidential primary and chose to conduct a party-run caucus instead, which President Donald Trump won overwhelmingly.
