California is a new member of the Super Tuesday gang, meaning the state’s presidential primary is happening March 3. The addition of California means 28.75% of the U.S. population have a chance to make their decision on who the next president will be in one day.
Nevada’s primary election won’t take place until June 9, so there’s a little bit more time to muse over candidates. Remember, Nevada’s a swing state, so it wears some pretty important britches in the national elections scene.
Mainstream media is shining the election spotlight brightly on the presidential role, but there’s a lot more to the general election than just the president. U.S. Representatives Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Mark Amodei (R-NV) are due for reelection, as well as a number of other state assembly people and senators for both California and Nevada.
On a local level, a multitude of city and town council, county supervisor, and district director spots are on the table. Election guides for each county have been or will be mailed out prior to the March 3 and June 9 elections.
Those residing in Nevada County can find election-specific information at mynevadacounty.com/1847/Elections-Voting.
Placer County residents, find a voter information guide, plus polling locations at placerelections.com/polling-place-locator/.
And last, but certainly not least, Washoe County folks should visit washoecounty.us/voters/elections/20electioninformation/index.php for election info.
California Presidential Primary Election: Tuesday, March 3
Voter registration should be done online or postmarked by Feb. 18. You can conditionally register and vote provisionally at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline.
Vote-by-mail ballot requests must arrive by Feb. 20.
Personally delivered ballots must be delivered by close of polls on March 3; mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before March 3 and received by your county elections office no later than March 6.
(By the way, the counties are looking for poll workers. For Placer County, sign up to help at placerelections.com/become-a-poll-worker/. Nevada County, head here: mynevadacounty.com/850/Becoming-a-Poll-Worker.)
Nevada Presidential Primary Election: Tuesday, June 9
- Early voting: May 23 to June 5
- Deadline to request an absentee ballot: May 26
- Register via mail-in/in-person/DMV or other outside agency: Must be postmarked by May 12
- Register online by June 4
Per the Washoe County Registrar of Voters office, Nevada does not conduct primary elections to select presidential candidates. Instead, major political parties hold caucuses. The political parties determine the dates of the caucuses and deadlines by which to be registered to attend. The Nevada Democratic Caucus will be held on Feb. 22. There will be no Republican Caucus in Nevada. For more information on the caucus, visit nvsos.gov/sos/elections/2020-election/2020-presidential-caucus.
(Washoe County folks, to serve as a poll worker, go to washoecounty.us/voters/get-involved/poll%20workers/index.php.)
Everything leads up to the big general Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3.
If you couldn’t care less about who to vote for, picking the opposite of whatever candidate sign your annoying neighbor has stabbed into his or her lawn shouldn’t be plan B. Now’s the time, 2020 is the year: Be an informed voter!
Key dates
- Feb. 22: Nevada Caucus Day
- March 3: California Primary
- June 9: Nevada Primary
- Nov. 3: General Election
