Nevada Question 3: Voters will decide on ranked choice general elections and top-five primaries

Taiyler Simone Mitchell
Updated ·3 min read
voting 21
"I Voted" stickers are displayed at a polling place in Cheyenne, Wyo. on Aug. 16, 2022.Thomas Peipert/AP Photo

  • Nevada's Question 3 would put ranked-choice voting and top-five primaries.

  • Proponents say that the measure will allow for more votes and more competitive elections.

  • Opponents say the measure will confuse voters and leave room for error.

A "yes" on Nevada's Question 3 would put a new ranked-choice voting system into place for general elections and set up top-five primary elections.

Ballot measure details

Currently, Nevada's primary election is used to choose a candidate from each party, but the Top-Five Ranked Choice Voting Initiative could change the process to a top-five voting system, according to the bill text. A top-five voting system would allow any voter to vote for any candidate no matter their political affiliation, and the top five candidates with the most votes would then proceed to the general election.

The second part of the initiative would establish ranked-choice voting general election. This would allow voters to rank the candidates on the ballot in the general election. The candidate that is the highest ranked (with more than 50% of votes) on the most number of ballots would win the election.

If no candidate is ranked over 50%, the tabulation process repeats, and the lowest-ranking candidate is eliminated. The voters who put the newly-eliminated candidate in their first position would have their vote transferred to their second choice.

In order for the measure to amend the Nevada Constitution, voters would also have to approve Question 3 once in 2022 and again a second time in 2024.

Both Maine and Alaska and Maine use ranked-choice voting. New York City also approved it in 2019 for citywide elections.

Support and opposition

Yes on 3 is sponsored by Nevada Voters First. The supporters argue that Question 3 would benefit Nevadan voters in the primaries who aren't registered to a political party.

The supporters say Question 3 is necessary to ensure that elected candidates aren't extreme, that all voters can vote in the primaries, and that candidates are held accountable through more competitive elections. Organizations in support of the measure include the Institute for Political Innovation and Vote Nevada, according to Ballotpedia.

Protect Your Vote Nevada is the leading group against the measure. US Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, State Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, State Asm. Steve Yeager, and Gov. Steve Sisolak are also against the measure.

Protect Your Vote Nevada said that Question 3 would "make our elections unnecessarily confusing, complicated, and riddled with errors-- and enshrine that system in the Nevada Constitution."

The money race

The measure has seen $2,434,000 in support contributions, while $1,275,000 has been contributed in opposition, according to Ballotpedia.

What experts are saying

According to a September study by Emerson College Polling and The Hill, 48% of participants support the measure, 35% oppose it, and 17% of participants were undecided.

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