Election 2024 in the Books

It’s finally over. What has been, basically, a two-year election cycle, it feels like it has drug on for seven and a half years, has come to a close with the former president, now President-Elect Donald Trump, coming in victorious and leading a sweep of the House and Senate.  

Trump is projected to garner 312 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’s 226, with 270 being the magic number to win. As of Tuesday morning, a week after the election, the House of Representatives has a Republican majority of 219 seats to the Democrats' 210. The Senate was called last week, with Republicans gaining four seats for a 53 – 47 lead over the Democrats. 

In Nevada, Senator Jacky Rosen (NV-D), who trailed Republican Sam Brown for most of last week's election week, finally pulled ahead when all the Washoe County votes were counted. Congressman Mark Amodei handily beat Independent candidate Greg Kidd with 55.4% of the vote.  

Churchill County had a strong showing for both Trump, with 73.70% of the vote to Kamala Harris’ 23.58%, and Sam Brown, who received 68.57% of the vote to Rosen’s 24.55%.

Amodei is a local favorite who received 69.06% of the vote.

Several uncontested races saw those who were unopposed or who won in the primary skate through election day with very little stress, including Greg Koenig in State Assembly District 38, Matt Hyde, Commissioner District 1, and Eric Blakey, Commissioner District 3. The school board was also settled early, with Trustees Gregg Malkovich, Kathryn Whitaker, and Wendy Bullock the only candidates who filed for office for three open seats.

The Mosquito, Vector, and Noxious Weed Abatement Board saw a three-way race for two open seats: David Brown received 6,906 votes, Marion Jonte received 5,146, and Cynthia McGarrah received 4,935 votes. Both Brown and Jonte will be sworn in.

Statewide ballot questions came in with the following:  

Question 1: Remove the high education Board of Regents from the state constitution - with 54.7% voting no. 

Question 2: Change the descriptions of entities for people with disabilities - a solid yes with 65.9% of the vote.

Question 3: Requiring open primaries and ranked-choice voting in general elections - defeated with 53.3% of the vote.

Question 4: Prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude - passed with 60.5% of the vote.

Question 5: Exempting diapers from sales tax passed with 68.4% of the vote.

Question 6: Creating a constitutional right to abortion - passed with 64.2% of the vote. 

Question 7: Requiring photo identification to vote - passed with 73.2% of the vote.  

The official canvassing of the vote will take place at the County Commission meeting on November 14, 2024, at 5 p.m., and local officials will be sworn in at the first Churchill County Commission meeting in January.