Podcast
Ballot Battleground: Nevada
Hosted by KRNV · EN
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping Nevada politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter most to everyday Nevadans so they're fully informed before casting their ballot.
27episodes
Episodes
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Voting in Nevada 101: Everything you need to know before casting a ballot with Washoe registrar Andrew McDonald
Today00:31:43Tap to summarizePrimary election day in Nevada is less than three weeks away and thousands of mail ballots have already been cast. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, we’re taking a break from candidate interviews and campaign issues to bring you a how-to guide for newer voters. Washoe County registrar of voters Andrew McDonald joins the show to answer all your top voting questions. We cover when and where you can vote, how Nevada’s closed primary system works, what you need to bring to the polls, and the different ways to cast your ballot — including mail voting, early voting and on Election Day. We also talk about new voting machines, accessibility improvements like curbside voting and have details on the new Washoe County 'I Voted' sticker. Whether you’re a first-time voter, recently moved or just need a refresher before June 9, this episode is designed to help you make a plan and cast your ballot with confidence. Know Your Candidates 2026: Full candidate interviews and race previews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Washoe DA Chris Hicks defends his record against ‘inexperienced’ challenger Duncan
1w ago00:31:43Tap to summarizeFor the first time in his political career, Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks faces a serious challenger — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On this week’s Ballot Battleground: Nevada, we continue our two-part deep dive into the Republican primary that will decide who serves as the county’s top prosecutor. This time: the incumbent’s case. Chris Hicks argues he deserves another four years, pointing to more than two decades as a prosecutor and his record leading the office since 2014. We press him on key issues in the race — including conflicting claims about crime trends, criticism over charging decisions, whether his office is declining cases that should be prosecuted and questions about ethics and nepotism because of his wife's employment. Wes Duncan’s case for Washoe DA: Crime, charging decisions and nepotism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Wes Duncan’s case for Washoe DA: Crime, charging decisions and nepotism
2w ago00:30:34Tap to summarizeFor the first time in Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks’ political career, he has a challenger — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On this week’s Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott begins a two-part deep dive into the Republican primary that will decide who serves as the county’s top prosecutor. First up: Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan, who makes his case to unseat Hicks, pointing to concerns about charging policies, his claims that crime is rising, and accusations of nepotism involving Hicks’ wife. Next week, we’ll bring you our full conversation with incumbent DA Chris Hicks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Inside the poll: Early numbers show dead heat in Nevada governor's race with Noble Predictive Insights
3w ago00:31:14Tap to summarizeNevada’s 2026 governor’s race is already shaping up to be a nail-biter. A new poll shows Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo essentially tied with the likely frontrunner, Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Of course, a sizable share of undecided voters will be the deciding factor in the general election. On this episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott goes inside the numbers with Mike Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, to break down what this early polling tells us—and what it doesn’t. Plus, a look at key down-ballot races and where voters stand on major ballot questions, including abortion rights and voter ID. NVGOV: Lombardo Keeps Pace with Ford as Undecideds Hold the Balance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Mail time! Answering your biggest Nevada primary election questions with Chris Murphy
Apr 1500:32:46Tap to summarizeThere are less than 60 days until primary election day 2026, and Ballot Battleground: Nevada is shifting into full-on election mode. This episode, we're diving into the mailbag to answer listeners' burning questions about the primary with News 4 Reno/Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Can you vote in both partisan primaries? Why do we need new ballot marking devices? Why haven't we interviewed candidates yet? And why isn't Election Day on the weekend? Host Ben Margiott and Murphy answer all those questions and more on an all-new show. Why Americans vote on a Tuesday in November Proposed amendment to restore full gambling loss deduction falls short in Congress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Should ‘late-arriving’ mail ballots count? How SCOTUS case could affect Nevada
Apr 100:35:52Tap to summarizeIn Nevada, elections are often decided by razor-thin margins — and a small batch of ballots can make all the difference. In 2022, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto won by fewer than 8,000 votes, overtaking Republican Adam Laxalt days after Election Night as mail ballots continued to be counted, including some that arrived after Election Day. Now, that narrow window is at the center of a major U.S. Supreme Court case that could reshape how ballots are counted in Nevada and beyond. This week, we hear both sides of the debate: Democratic election attorney Bradley Schrager explains why he thinks Nevada’s system works, and RNC Election Integrity Communications Director Ally Triolo outlines why Republicans are challenging it. Note: This episode was recorded before President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that aims to create a national list of verified eligible voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Could Nevada’s deep red CD2 actually flip blue? Talking top candidates with UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman
Mar 1900:35:05Tap to summarizeThe field is set. 27 candidates — the most ever by far — filed to run for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district after the sudden retirement announcement from Republican Rep. Mark Amodei. With no incumbent running and a potentially bluer national landscape, some political insiders believe a Democrat could flip the seat for the first time ever. Is that a reality? Who are the top contenders on both sides? This week on the Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast, host Ben Margiott speaks with UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman about the partisan makeup of CD2, its deep red history, the possibility of a flip and the type of candidate who might have a realistic shot. Full list of candidates for Nevada's Congressional District 2, other key races Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Ballot printers, voter ID and the future of voting in Nevada with election chief Cisco Aguilar
Mar 400:28:12Tap to summarizeCandidate filing has begun, mock elections are happening and officials are testing new ballot marking devices — the 2026 midterm election cycle is officially here. This week on the Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast, host Ben Margiott interviews Nevada's elections chief, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar. Ben and Sec. Aguilar discuss Nevada's new ballot marking devices, voter ID proposals at the state and federal level, whether Election Day should be a holiday, how Nevadans could vote in the future and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The making of Harry Reid’s machine — and the wide-open CD2 race with Jon Ralston
Feb 1800:27:55Tap to summarizeHarry Reid was the most powerful politician Nevada has ever produced — and the machine he built still shapes state politics today. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, The Nevada Independent CEO and veteran journalist Jon Ralston joins host Ben Margiott to discuss his new book, The Game Changer, and what it reveals about Reid’s rise from Searchlight to Senate Majority Leader — and how he rewrote the political playbook for Democrats. Then we turn to the present: the wide-open race for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District following Rep. Mark Amodei’s surprise retirement. Who’s in, who’s out, who could jump in — and do Democrats actually have a shot at flipping CD2? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Why Nevada wants to be 1st in 2028 — Artie Blanco on Nevada's case to lead the Presidential nominating calendar
Feb 400:33:14Tap to summarizeNevada has already climbed the Presidential primary calendar, establishing itself in the slate of early states that vote prior to Super Tuesday. But now Democratic party leaders want to move up to first in the nation, with the Nevada Dems officially submitting their bid to the DNC last month. Why is Nevada deserving of the coveted top spot? In the first episode of season 3 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott speaks to DNC Vice Chair Artie Blanco about Nevada’s bid to become the first Democratic presidential contest in 2028. We unpack how the DNC sets the calendar, why Nevada’s diversity and battleground status matter, and what lessons were learned from the 2024 primary shake-up. Plus, what a “Nevada first” calendar could mean for voters, campaigns, and national policy priorities. WATCH Ballot Battleground: Nevada on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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