Here we go again. The same liberal activists who have failed multiple times are back with two new ballot measures. Vote Nevada PAC filed a ballot question to create an independent redistricting commission. They also filed a petition to create open primaries in the state.
These folks have been trying similar ideas since 2020. Each time, they’ve either failed to collect enough signatures or been stopped by the courts.
What They Want This Time
The activists want to do two big things that should worry anyone who believes in limited government.
First, they want to take the power to draw voting districts away from your elected state lawmakers. Right now, state lawmakers draft and pass districting maps to be signed into law by the governor. These are people you voted for. People you can hold accountable.
Instead, they want to create a whole new government commission with seven unelected members. “Whoever’s in control of our legislature after the Census can go behind closed doors, meet with whoever they want, draw our maps and say, these are the maps,” said Sandra Cosgrove, a proponent.
Second, they want to force political parties to open their primary elections to everyone. This might sound nice, but it’s really about letting people who aren’t even party members choose the party’s candidates.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Think about it this way. You join a club because you agree with what that club stands for. Shouldn’t that club get to decide who represents them? That’s what political parties are.
When outsiders get to pick your representatives, it waters down everything you believe in. It’s like letting non-church members vote for your pastor.
The redistricting commission is even worse. Right now, if lawmakers draw maps you don’t like, you can vote them out. But who do you vote against when an unelected commission makes decisions you hate? You can’t fire commissioners the way you can fire lawmakers.
Different Strategy This Time
Here’s what’s different this time. A similar question appeared on the 2024 ballot that included both open primaries AND ranked choice voting. That measure passed in 2022, but voters rejected it in 2024. Now they’re trying again, but this time they split the issues apart and dropped the ranked choice voting part entirely.
The Track Record Speaks Volumes
These aren’t new ideas. The political action committee filed similar initiatives in 2020, 2022 and 2024, but each time they failed to make it to the ballot.
The courts have also seen problems. The Nevada Supreme Court unanimously affirmed a district court ruling that two proposed ballot questions each seeking to establish an independent redistricting commission are legally deficient. The order found that the measures were invalid because they would create a new state body without establishing a revenue source to pay for it.
So now they’re back, trying to fix the funding problem. But the real problem isn’t the money. It’s the whole idea of taking power away from elected officials.
What’s At Stake
Nonpartisan and third-party voters comprise 43% of the 2.1 million active registered voters as of August 2025. The activists think these numbers help their case. But many of those “nonpartisan” voters chose not to join a party for a reason. They don’t want party politics. So why force parties to include them?
Both petitions would amend the Nevada state constitution. That means they need to pass twice – in 2026 and 2028. Constitutional changes should be hard to make.
What Conservatives Can Do
First, pay attention. These ballot measures need to collect signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot. After the filing of a proposed ballot measure, there is a 15-day window for legal challenges.
Second, talk to your neighbors. Many people don’t understand what these measures really do. They hear “independent” and “open” and think it sounds good. Help them understand that independence from voter control isn’t always better.
Third, support candidates who believe in keeping power with elected officials rather than unelected commissions. When lawmakers know they answer to voters, they make better decisions.
The bottom line is simple. These measures would create bigger government, take power away from people you can vote for, and hand it to people you can’t. That’s the opposite of what conservatives should want.
Nevada already lets voters change their government every two years if they don’t like how things are going. That’s real accountability. Don’t let activists take that power away and give it to bureaucrats you can never fire.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
