WASHINGTON (AP) – Votes counted in Nevada’s closely watched Senate race Might spill over into the weekend — as it has been before, as officials remind everyone this time around.
In fact, election authorities in the state’s most populous Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, and Washoe County, where Reno is located, warned in advance that it would take days to process all ballots again this year.
Here’s what it looked like late Friday, reining in Congress Still in balance:
what we know
— With more than 90 percent of the votes counted, Republican former state attorney general Adam Laxalter narrowly leads the Democratic incumbent. Catherine Cortez Masto has a quarter-point lead in the Senate race.
— tens of thousands of votes Still to be counted, mostly from the state’s urban areas — again, as the Las Vegas and Reno stats put it.
— All Nevada voters receive mail-in ballots, but Saturday is the last day state law allows officials to accept mail-in ballots.
– Voters have until the end of Monday to “heal” – or resolve paperwork issues – with their mail-in ballots so they can be added to the final count. There were 9,600 votes on Friday in the “cure” phase in Clark County, which is home to three-quarters of the state’s population.
— Nevada wasn’t called to the 2020 presidential race until the Saturday after Election Day — the same day Pennsylvania (and therefore the presidency) was called to Joe Biden.
what is not called
— Senate race Between Democrat incumbent Kathryn Cortez Masto and Republican former state attorney general Adam Laxalter.
Laxalt and Cortez Masto have been in a tight race for weeks, both slamming National’s talking points: Laxalt blames inflation and illegal immigration on Democratic policies, while Cortez Masto promises to block Republican-led A nationwide abortion ban was attempted and a path to permanent citizenship for immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
what is called
– A fierce race for governor Between Democrat incumbent Steve Sisolak and Republican Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, headed for the challenger, whom the Associated Press called Lombardo late Friday .
The campaign has been costly and contentious, and in recent weeks the radio and the internet have been flooded with ads sponsored by candidates, their parties and political action committees aimed at widening their divisions. Both candidates predicted they would win, but the outcome of the race won’t be known for days.
— The Associated Press called three House races after more votes were released Friday night Where the Democratic incumbent faces a serious challenge: the second-term House of Representatives in two swing districts that stretch from Las Vegas to the suburbs to rural areas. Suzy Lee fended off Republican April Becker and the third-term Rep. Steven Horsford defeated Republican Samuel Peters.
Due to the redistricting, the six-term House of Representatives. After party strategists sacrificed some turf for gains elsewhere, Dina Titus is red hot on the Democratic Party’s traditional strongholds, including the Las Vegas Strip. She survived a confrontation with Mark Robertson, a retired Army colonel trying to become the first Republican since 1998 to win his first district seat.
The victory increases Democrats’ slim chances of retaining control of the House, even as Republicans remain close to overthrowing the House.
the nevada way
Several things have slowed Nevada’s vote count in the recent election.
On the one hand, Nevada has significantly expanded absentee voting in 2020, sending a ballot to every registered voter. The state has also passed legislation to do the same in future elections.
That year, nearly 15 percent of Nevada’s ballots were not released until election night — it took the state three days to release 100 percent of the ballots.
Second, Nevada has a problem with long lines of voters when voting closes, even though Nevadans have traditionally opted to vote early. The state will not release votes until all voters in line at the close of polls have cast their ballots.
Under state law, ballots postmarked on Election Day can be received by Saturday, and officials have until Thursday to complete the count and file a report with the Nevada Secretary of State’s office.
This year, polling officials in two of the most populous counties, including population centers Las Vegas and Reno, warned that it would take days to process outstanding ballots.
There are no mandatory recount laws in the state.
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Mike Catalini can be contacted at https://twitter.com/mikecatalini
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Check out https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections Learn more about the issues and factors in the 2022 midterm elections. Follow AP coverage of the 2022 midterm elections: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections