norman
country-financial
March 28, 2024 6:15 am
Your hometown Newspaper since 1987.
Search
Close this search box.

EDITORIAL: Election an Opportunity For The Rurals

In recent years, the re-shuffling of voting districts in Nevada has carved up the Moapa Valley community. Any strength that may have existed in a local voting block has thus been severely diluted through these divisions.

First of all, a line has been drawn between Logandale and Overton dividing the community into two separate State Senate and Assembly districts. This has neutralized the local vote by lumping the two halves of the community in with much larger voting blocks in communities that are far distant from us; both geographically and politically.

In addition, our U.S. Congressional district (CD4) brings a sprawling area of the state, peppered with small towns and rural interests, into the same district as a densely populated slice of urban Las Vegas. Amidst all the clamour of urban votes, the rural needs can scarcely be heard. This is made manifest in the both the quantity and quality of attention paid to the rurals in CD4 in the past year or two.

All this has become a strong dis-satisfier for local voters. With the deck seemingly stacked against them, it is easy for rural residents to feel that there is no hope that their votes will ever make a difference. Many in the rural northeast feel disenfranchised and under-represented. Perhaps some are even discouraged enough to withdraw from the process.

But that would be a mistake. This year, there may be a glimmer of hope for the rurals. Voter turnout will be a crucial element in the impending primary election and in the general election this fall. Turnout is expected to be abysmal in the region, the state and the nation. Thus, the votes of those few who do turn out may carry greater weight and make a real difference in the outcome of the election.

Rural areas, and especially the Moapa Valley community, have traditionally maintained strong voter turnout in elections; even midterms. In the last mid-term election of 2010, local precincts saw about 70 percent of registered voters turn out to vote. Of course, that happened to be a high turnout year across the state. But the local numbers still far exceeded those of the state which was less than 60 percent.

Still, the primary election of 2010 saw much fewer numbers. In local precincts only 39 percent of those registered went to the polls to vote. That was even a high number compared to what was seen throughout the region and the state. But imagine the impact on that primary election had the larger percentage of local voters actually turned out.

While this year’s Primary Election ballot is sparse, there are some important items there for local voters; particularly for Republicans.

Chief among them is the race for State Assembly District 19, which includes Overton and the communities of Virgin Valley. In this race it’s really the primary election that counts. The winner of the primary will probably win the election. This one has our own Overton neighbor Laura Bledsoe up against Chris Edwards and Frank Tavares, both from the Las Vegas valley. For the past four years, the District 19 seat has been held by Virgin Valley resident Cresent Hardy. If it is important to northeast County rural residents to maintain a local voice in the Assembly (and it certainly ought to be), then the Republicans in Overton, Bunkerville and Mesquite need to turn out and vote for Bledsoe.

The Republican primary for U.S. Congressional District 4 is somewhat more nuanced. This race brings Cresent Hardy up against Niger Innis, a conservative activist for civil rights from North Las Vegas. In this case, voters are fortunate in the fact that both contenders are strong candidates. But Hardy’s service in the State Capitol has proven him to be a faithfully determined advocate for the communities of the northeast Clark County. He fully understands rural issues and has real and proven legislative experience. Hardy deserves local support as the hometown favorite.

Early voting for the upcoming primary election has already begun throughout the county. It will take place in Overton this Monday, June 2 at the Overton Community Center. This early voting date proves especially important because the primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10; a date when many locals will undoubtedly be out of town engaged in summer activities or performing leadership roles at youth camps. If you are among that group, please make an effort to cast your ballot early this Monday!

This may be the chance for our rural communities to exert signficant influence and regain local representation in the state legislature; and perhaps even in Washington. We encourage all registered Moapa Valley voters to get out to the polls and vote in the upcoming primary election!

Print This Article:

Share This Article:

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Screen Shot 2023-02-05 at 10.55.46 PM
2-21-2024-fullpagefair
4 Youth Service WEB
2-28-2024 WEB Hole Foods St Patricks
No data was found
2023 WEB BANNER 2 DEFAULT AD whitneyswater
Mesquite Works Web Ad 10-2020
Scroll to Top
Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

Get notified about new articles