WASHINGTON (AP) — Votes are being counted in Nevada’s Senate race. It could spread over the weekend – just like it did before, officials reminded everyone, and it will happen this time too.
Indeed, election officials in the state’s most populous Clark (home of Las Vegas) and Washoe (home of Reno) counties warned that it would take days to process all ballots again this year.
Matters remained in control of the Congress late on Friday Still in balance:
What do we know?
With more than 90% of the votes counted, former Republican state Attorney General Adam Laxalt is the Democratic incumbent in the Senate race. Catherine Cortez leads Masto by less than a quarter of a percentage point.
– Tens of thousands of votes Those in charge of counting in Las Vegas and Reno said the count will come mainly from the state’s urban areas.
Mail-in ballots are being issued to all Nevada voters, but Saturday is the last day state law allows officials to accept them.
– Voters have until the end of Monday to add their postal ballots to the final tally – to “curate” or “cure” or correct their postal ballots. In Clark County, home to three-quarters of the state’s population, 9,600 votes were cast Friday in the “curing” phase.
—Nevada was not called in the 2020 presidential race until the Saturday after Election Day — the same day Pennsylvania (and thus the presidency) was called for Joe Biden.
What is not called
– A Senate race between Democratic incumbent Katherine Cortez Masto and former Republican state attorney general Adam Laxalt.
Laxalt and Cortez Masto have been in a tight race for weeks, with both hitting national party talking points: Laxalt has pledged to block Democratic policies on inflation and illegal immigration and GOP-led efforts to ban nationwide abortions. Fight for a path to permanent citizenship for immigrants who came to the country as children.
What was called
– A tight gubernatorial race A challenger between Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak and GOP Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo went to the person, The Associated Press called Lombardo late Friday.
The campaign has been expensive and controversial, with ads flooding the airwaves and the Internet in recent weeks aimed at amplifying the diversity of candidates, their parties and political action groups. Both candidates were predicted to win but the outcome of the contest remained unknown for several days.
The AP called three House races after Friday night’s high vote count Democratic incumbents face tough challenges: The second-term representative defeated Republican April Becker in two swing districts that stretch from Las Vegas through suburbs to rural areas. Susie Lee, third-term representative. Steven Horsford defeated Republican Samuel Peters.
As a result of the redistricting, six-term Rep. Tina Titus, a traditional Democratic stronghold that surrounds the Las Vegas area, is in the hot seat after party strategists sacrificed some turf in exchange for gains elsewhere. He survived against Mark Robertson, a retired Army colonel trying to become the first Republican to win that 1st District seat since 1998.
Although Republicans came close to flipping the chamber, the victories bolstered Democrats’ chances of clinging to control of the House.
Nevada’s way
A few things have slowed Nevada’s vote count in recent elections.
For one, Nevada greatly expanded absentee voting in 2020 and mailed a ballot to every registered voter. The state government enacted legislation to do the same in future elections.
That year, nearly 15% of Nevada’s votes were not reported until election night — and the state took three days to report 100% of the vote.
Second, Nevada has problems with long voter lines, even though Nevadans traditionally prefer early voting. The state does not release the vote count until all voters in line at polling time have cast their ballots.
Votes marked by Election Day can be received through Saturday, and officials have until Thursday to finish counting and submit a report to the Nevada Secretary of State, as required by state law.
This year, voting officials in the two most populous counties, which include the population centers of Las Vegas and Reno, warned that it could take days to process pending ballots.
The state does not have a mandatory recount law.
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Mike Catalini can be reached at https://twitter.com/mikecatalini
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See https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections Learn more about the issues and factors at play in the 2022 midterm elections. Follow AP’s 2022 midterm elections: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections
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