On Election Day, Nevada showed it values equality, maturity, democracy
On Tuesday, Nevada voters sent a thunderous message to President Donald Trump and the extremists who support him. The hateful politics of Trumpism will not be tolerated in our state. In supporting moderate candidates up and down the ballot, Nevadans took a stand against Trump’s efforts to divide the nation and destroy our standards of civility and respectfulness.
It was nothing short of a heroic effort — voters going to polls in huge numbers not only to shield Nevada from the creep of extremism but to do nothing short of protect American democracy.
It was a victory particularly for our immigrant and LGBTQ communities, for women in need of reproductive health services and other specialized care, and for disadvantaged people in need of health care coverage. But all Nevadans will benefit, with the state government now firmly in the hands of leaders who understand how to heal the wounds opened by the past two years, provide adequate funding for our schools, develop forward-looking policies on renewable energy and take action on climate change, among other issues.
The credit for the outcome goes to a number of people, starting with a strong group of candidates, particularly on the Democratic side of the ballot.
But special commendations go to the campaigns and political action organizations that worked to get voters to the polls.
Turnout for early voting and in Tuesday’s balloting was remarkable, especially among groups of voters who traditionally have been apathetic about midterms — young voters and people of color.
The strong turnout was partly driven by backlash to Trump, but it also was an exuberant statement of diversity and optimism aided by organizations like Nextgen America, which focused on getting young voters involved, and the Culinary Union, which once again did a remarkable job in engaging Latinos and other minorities in the process.
Others who are owed an enormous debt of gratitude after Tuesday are the people who organized the election and operated the polling sites — Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria, his team and the huge group of volunteers working at the county’s voting centers.
Nevadans are fortunate to live in a state where officials are focused on making voting more convenient rather than restricting voting rights under the guise of protecting voting security.
In adopting multiple methods for registration and doing away with the voter precinct model in favor of voting centers that allow Southern Nevadans to cast their ballots at locations throughout the valley, Gloria and his staff have done wonders to facilitate greater participation in the process.
So here’s a round of applause to all of those involved in an unforgettable election.
Nevada emerges as a more promising place, represented in Congress by a diverse and capable delegation that will work across party lines to counter the destructive policies of the past two years and protect the interests of state residents.
Voters also made smart choices in statewide positions, the Legislature, the Clark County Commission and other areas, pushing Trump extremists to the fringes where they belong.
For eight years, Nevada has been led by a moderate Republican governor who has prioritized progress over party politics. Steve Sisolak will continue that approach, and unlike Gov. Brian Sandoval, will be working with an attorney general who will pull in the same direction, thanks to the election of Aaron Ford.
The full list of winners is too long to fit in this space, but the bottom line is that Nevada voters have put state leadership positions in excellent hands.
In doing so, voters have put the state in a position to help steer the nation away from hatred, racism and would-be authoritarianism, and back to the bipartisan, constructive approach to solving problems that has led to America’s greatest achievements.
At a time when the democracy has never needed us more, Nevadans stepped up to protect it.