Saving Democracy & Getting Money Out of Politics
I am proud to be a part of the national movement for anti-corruption, pro-democracy reform. One of the core values of this campaign is trust. We cannot have a functional Democracy if our constituents believe that our government can be unduly influenced by big-money interests. Voters want accountability and action; instead, they feel stuck in a broken cycle.
While we definitely need partners on a federal level, Nevada can be making changes right now to protect and grow grassroots power. All it takes is some innovation and the right candidates to get it done! As Democrats, we need to take this fight to the state party convention by proposing a resolution to require candidates in primary races to not accept corporate donations. There are also innovative solutions being tested on the state-level in places like Maine and Montana. In 2024, Maine passed a ballot-initiative designed to spark a Supreme Court case to challenge Citizens United. In 2026, a new approach is being tried in Montana by challenging the legal rights of corporations. Nevada can and should join other states in the fight for campaign finance reform.
Babe Vote Summit 2025
Babe Vote is a grassroots , pro-democracy, youth organization founded in Idaho. I helped bring the org to Nevada in 2024.
Represent US Event - 2024
I volunteered with Represent Us throughout 2024 to teach people at UNLV and the entire Las Vegas community about Ranked Choice Voting.
Policy Policies:
Fusion Voting: This is an innovative method used in states such as New York that allow minor parties (i.e. the Working Families Party) to cross-endorse candidates with other parties (such as the Democratic party in the case of WFP) nominates. This gives minor parties a better seat at the table and gives voters a more expressive ballot.
An example of how this works: Kamala Harris was both the Democratic nominee and the Working Families Party nominee on the ballot in 2024 in New York. The same is true for Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral election.
Ranked Choice Voting or another alternative election system (like STAR voting): RCV and other alternate election systems give voters more choices without sacrificing quality. Our representatives should win with a true majority of votes (instead of a plurality, which is simply the most votes). Requiring a majority through these electoral systems guarantees that the winning candidate is whoever over 50% of voters prefer, while preventing any “spoiler effect” from having more than two candidates in the race.It’s a fair process for everyone– Democrats, Republicans, third parties, and Independents alike.
The 2026 primary for AD-1 looks like it will have more than two candidates. With each new candidate in the race, the number of votes needed to win goes down significantly. For example, a 3-person race only requires 33.3% plus 1 vote to be declared the winner. Additionally, primary elections tend to have very low turnout compared to the general election. Both of these facts mean that a small number of people will be the deciding factor in who will be the next assembly member. This is not the best way for Democracy to function and we can take action as a party to implement a new system for voting in primaries.
Make Election Day a State holiday: Nevada has been a national leader in voting rights, but there is still more we can do. Many advocates believe that election day should become a federal holiday as another means of ensuring access to the polls. Nevada can join states like New York and West Virginia that recognize election day as a state holiday, bringing us a step closer towards federal action.
End Gerrymandering: A strong, representative Democracy doesn’t let politicians choose their voters, it empowers voters to choose their politicians.
Create an Independent redistricting commission: When the state legislature is in charge of the process, the party in power at the time of redistricting is always going to be tempted to tip the scales in their favor. Nevada should join the states who draw their maps via independent commission.
Ban Mid-decade redistricting: We aren’t taking any chances. After what has happened during the 2025 and 2026 election cycles across the country, we are going to be proactive and ensure that our redistricting process cannot begin early, especially when it's being done for partisan gain.
Publicly funded elections: One of the strongest options to fight the out-sized influence of corporations and the ultra-wealthy on our elections is to amplify the impact of small donors. This is often done through donation-matching or voucher programs. There are also states that offer tax credits for small-dollar political donations.
The NYC Matching Program is part of what created the conditions for the underdog turned mayor, Zohran Mamdani. His grassroots race redefined what’s possible and has excited people across the country.
Protect Voters from unnecessary restrictions like Voter ID Laws: I believe in fair and secure elections. However, there is a robust movement to disenfranchise voters under the guise of “election security.” Voter ID laws are a trojan horse for voter suppression; it’s a solution to a manufactured problem to serve the interests of anti-democratic forces.
I endorse NO on 7 for this reason, and I will continue to advocate for reasonable election security and the expansion of voting rights.
Automatic Voter Registration during College Enrollment: We need to keep pushing towards true automatic voter registration. I think a natural expansion would be college campuses. As students enroll in university, they are registered to vote, unless they choose to opt-out, just as it is done at the DMV.
As a student organizer during the 2024 election, I saw students turned away at the polls on election day. The reason? They were out-of-state students without a Nevada ID who tried to same-day register. As UNLV students who live in Nevada, they had the right to vote here, yet they were unable to exercise that right because of the way we manage same-day registration. Automatic Voter Registration during enrollment would definitely help prevent this. Another option is to just allow student IDs or remove the ID requirement altogether for same-day registration.
From the 83rd Legislative Session →AB 105: This bill, sponsored by assembly member Jauregui, would have banned firearms within 100 ft of an election site, helping to prevent armed voter intimidation. This bill passed but was vetoed by Governor Lombardo.
From the 83rd Legislative Session →SB 100: This bill, sponsored by senator Daly, would have created more accountability and security around our elections. Notably, it would have imposed criminal penalties for officials that are unwilling to certify election results. This bill passed but was vetoed by Governor Lombardo.
