LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — So who is the typical Nevada voter?

You can analyze the election results for the answer, but this can be misleading.

People vote for candidates for a variety of reasons, and sometimes they vote for a Republican in one race and a Democrat in another.

But ballot questions? This is different. There is no clearer understanding of the collective thinking of voters than how they vote in the most direct form of democracy in voting.

What kind of government should we have? What policies are best for the government? Which direction do we want to go? All of these questions are answered directly when the voter gets to that section of the ballot.

Who is a good judge? Who would best serve on the school board? Many voters have to guess these answers.

But should we have taxes? Should we change the way we vote? This is a very simple answer.

Taken together, here’s what we can learn about the collective voice of Nevada voters based on their answers to this year’s ballot questions.

First, most Nevada voters are pro-choice. They approved Question 6 by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin and began the process of amending the state constitution to protect abortion rights in Nevada regardless of what laws the federal government might pass.

The vote almost exactly mirrored 1990’s Question 7, a referendum on a state law that allows abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy and beyond if the mother’s life is threatened. That vote approved the state law by a vote of 63.5 percent to 36.5 percent; This tells us something else about Nevada voters: they are consistenteven in votes taken more than thirty years apart.

Second, Nevada voters want more security in their elections. Whether it’s fear of a stolen election, noncitizen voting (there’s almost no evidence of this), or just the idea that you need an ID to enter a federal building, get on a plane, or buy a six-pack, Nevadans strongly believe it. Verifying the voter’s identity.

In fact, Question 7, which began the process of amending the state constitution to require voter ID at the ballot box or for mail-in ballots, passed 73 percent, the largest majority of any question on the November ballot.

Like Question 6, the voter ID question must be reapproved in 2026 to go into effect. But if his popularity this cycle is any indication, he shouldn’t have any trouble gaining voters’ approval.

But this is just the beginning of the process. Since Nevadans must pay a fee to obtain an ID card or driver’s license, requiring identification to vote could be considered an unconstitutional poll tax. The issue was brought before the Nevada Supreme Court this year, but the justices continued to rule until voter ID became law.

Third, speaking of elections, Nevadans do not want to change the way we vote. Question 3 would have abandoned Nevada’s current system to create open primaries in which voters could vote for any candidate regardless of political party. After the primary, the measure would allow voters to rank their top five choices in order of preference. If no candidate received 50 percent in the first election, the candidate with the fewest votes would be dropped and second preference votes would be reallocated. One for the remaining candidates until they reach 50 percent.

Although this measure passed by a narrow margin (53 percent to 47 percent) in 2022, voters ultimately decided against making this change. This followed an intense television advertising war in which each side accused the other of deception.

This shows another side of Nevada voters; they may change their mind on a topic after considering new arguments.

Fourth, Nevadans are kind people. So they decided to change the state constitution in Question 2 to more modern terminology by removing the old language referring to people with disabilities. (“Deaf and dumb” has been omitted in favor of “persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.”)

Although slavery was never permitted in Nevada, which joined the Union as a free state during the Civil War, it was permitted by the constitution as a punishment for a crime. However, thanks to Question 4, this language will be officially deleted.

Fifth, Nevadans don’t like taxes. Nevada is famous for not having a state income tax, and its voters have shown once again that if they get a chance to lower taxes, they will do it. According to Question 5, which passed 68 percent to 32 percent, people who purchase child or adult diapers will no longer have to pay sales tax on those purchases starting in January.

Anti-tax sentiment continued in local races. Henderson voters rejected property tax increases aimed at paying for libraries and public safety. (By contrast, Boulder City voters passed $9 million for a swimming pool project.)

Sixth, Nevadans don’t like to repeat themselves. In 2020, the Nevada Legislature asked voters to remove the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents from the state constitution. Lawmakers argued that MPs were acting as an independent branch of government and defying legislative authority.

But voters said no, turning down the measure by a narrow margin of 50.15 percent to 49.85 percent.

Undaunted, state lawmakers returned and put the question on the ballot again this year; This is the “Are you sure?” screen on your computer. It was the political equivalent of his warning.

The voters said yes, we are sure of it. This year, we were even more confident by rejecting the question by 54.7 percent to 45.3 percent.

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