— by Roberta Lange, Chair–NV State Democratic Party
Earlier this year, Nevada voters made their voices heard in the Democratic presidential race. The contest here between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders was energetic and hard-fought, a clear reminder of why the country needs an early state with our demographic, regional and cultural diversity.
But despite the substantial innovations the Nevada State Democratic Party incorporated this year, the caucus process remains difficult for too many people. The neighborhood meeting format may have made sense in an earlier time, but it simply doesn’t make as much sense today.
Now is the right time for Nevadans to re-examine our existing caucus system and foster a thoughtful discussion about how we move forward to make this process more convenient and accessible.
Whether it’s shifting to a state-funded primary or substantially revamping the mechanics of the party-run caucuses, we will need to work to protect our priorities as Democrats: to increase voter access and retain our important position in this process as one of the four early states.
We look forward to continuing this conversation and hearing your ideas in the months ahead.