PODCAST · government
Ballot Battleground: Nevada
by KRNV
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping Nevada politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter most to everyday Nevadans so they're fully informed before casting their ballot.
Episodes
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A tearful goodbye and thank you
After more than a decade in local television news, host Ben Margiott signs off from both News 4 Reno and Ballot Battleground: Nevada. In this final episode, Ben reflects on why the podcast was created, the mission of making Nevada politics more accessible, the incredible guests and listeners who...
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Washoe County asks voters: Should EV drivers pay more for roads? With RTC’s Bill Thomas
As more Nevadans switch to electric vehicles, one of the state's biggest transportation funding questions is becoming harder to ignore: who should pay for the roads everyone uses? Gas taxes have long funded road construction and maintenance, but EV drivers don't pay those taxes at the pump. Now,...
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Supreme Court mail ballot ruling and Nevada's election results mishap with Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar
The Nevada primary is over, but the post-election news cycle is anything but quiet. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins Ballot Battleground: Nevada to break down a series of major developments shaping the state's elections. Host Ben Margiott and Aguilar discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's…
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Flippo, Benitez-Thompson advance in CD2 race and Nevada Governor matchup is set. Primary election recap with reporters Kim Burrows and Alisabeth Mitchell
Nevada's 2026 primary election is over and the matchups for November's general election are set. David Flippo and Teresa Benitez-Thompson will face off in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. And, as expected, it'll be Aaron Ford challenging incumbent Joe Lombardo for Nevada Governor. Host Ben...
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Closed primaries, data centers and new ballot marking devices: Nevada primary election mailbag with Chris Murphy
Primary Election Day 2026 is less than a week away and as Nevadans begin to vote both in person and by mail, they have questions. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott and News 4-Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy open up the mailbag again to answer your listener...
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CD2 drama escalates as attacks ramp up, candidates drop out with The Nevada Independent’s Mini Racker
Attack ads, tight internal polling and late candidate dropouts. With in-person early voting underway in Nevada, it's crunch time for the 2026 primary election and in northern Nevada's most consequential race for the 2nd Congressional District, the drama is only intensifying. Ben Margiott talks…
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Voting in Nevada 101: Everything you need to know before casting a ballot with Washoe registrar Andrew McDonald
Primary election day in Nevada is less than three weeks away and thousands of mail ballots have already been cast. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, we’re taking a break from candidate interviews and campaign issues to bring you a how-to guide for newer voters. Washoe County registrar of...
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Washoe DA Chris Hicks defends his record against ‘inexperienced’ challenger Duncan
For the first time in his political career, Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks faces a serious challenger — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On this week’s Ballot Battleground: Nevada, we continue our two-part deep dive into the Republican primary that will decide who serves as the...
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Wes Duncan’s case for Washoe DA: Crime, charging decisions and nepotism
For the first time in Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks’ political career, he has a challenger — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On this week’s Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott begins a two-part deep dive into the Republican primary that will decide who serves as the...
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Inside the poll: Early numbers show dead heat in Nevada governor's race with Noble Predictive Insights
Nevada’s 2026 governor’s race is already shaping up to be a nail-biter. A new poll shows Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo essentially tied with the likely frontrunner, Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Of course, a sizable share of undecided voters will be the deciding factor in the general...
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Mail time! Answering your biggest Nevada primary election questions with Chris Murphy
There are less than 60 days until primary election day 2026, and Ballot Battleground: Nevada is shifting into full-on election mode. This episode, we're diving into the mailbag to answer listeners' burning questions about the primary with News 4 Reno/Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Can…
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Should ‘late-arriving’ mail ballots count? How SCOTUS case could affect Nevada
In Nevada, elections are often decided by razor-thin margins — and a small batch of ballots can make all the difference. In 2022, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto won by fewer than 8,000 votes, overtaking Republican Adam Laxalt days after Election Night as mail ballots continued to be counted,...
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Could Nevada’s deep red CD2 actually flip blue? Talking top candidates with UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman
The field is set. 27 candidates — the most ever by far — filed to run for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district after the sudden retirement announcement from Republican Rep. Mark Amodei. With no incumbent running and a potentially bluer national landscape, some political insiders believe a Democrat...
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Ballot printers, voter ID and the future of voting in Nevada with election chief Cisco Aguilar
Candidate filing has begun, mock elections are happening and officials are testing new ballot marking devices — the 2026 midterm election cycle is officially here. This week on the Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast, host Ben Margiott interviews Nevada's elections chief, Secretary of State Cisco...
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The making of Harry Reid’s machine — and the wide-open CD2 race with Jon Ralston
Harry Reid was the most powerful politician Nevada has ever produced — and the machine he built still shapes state politics today. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, The Nevada Independent CEO and veteran journalist Jon Ralston joins host Ben Margiott to discuss his new book, The Game...
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Why Nevada wants to be 1st in 2028 — Artie Blanco on Nevada's case to lead the Presidential nominating calendar
Nevada has already climbed the Presidential primary calendar, establishing itself in the slate of early states that vote prior to Super Tuesday. But now Democratic party leaders want to move up to first in the nation, with the Nevada Dems officially submitting their bid to the DNC last month. Why...
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Ballot Battleground: Nevada Season 3 Trailer
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is back for Season 3. 2026 is an election year — and here in Nevada, the stakes are high. From Congressional races and a crucial Governor’s race to state and local contests and major ballot questions, we’re covering it all. I’m Ben Margiott, a reporter at News 4 Reno…
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Dramatic Nevada special session ends with film tax failure, crime bill passage — with reporters Paul Boger, Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren
After 7 days, Nevada lawmakers adjourned the state’s 36th special legislative session sine die late Wednesday. The week was packed with unexpected surprises, important policy debates, long lulls in the action and criticism about the lack of transparency. From a rare procedural move that nearly...
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Washoe County election chief Andrew McDonald on turnover, voter rolls and … paper ballots?
In the 2026 midterms, Washoe County will — once again — have someone new running its elections. Andrew McDonald is the county’s new registrar of voters — the 4th person to hold that job since 2022. But McDonald says he’s in it for the long haul and he's got some big goals: moving the registrar’s...
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Taxes, John Doe, special session cost and cereal: Answering your listener questions with Chris Murphy
It's mail time at Ballot Battleground: Nevada. This week, we're digging through the listener mailbag once again with News 4 and Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Host Ben Margiott and Chris answer questions ranging from tax reform and John Doe's identity to open primaries and the cost of a...
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Should Nevada reel in Hollywood? Film tax credits to be discussed in special session
Legislators will be headed back to Carson City this fall for another special session of the Nevada legislature — the sixth since 2020. Governor Joe Lombardo announced he wants them to finish some 'unfinished business' in the next few months. So when exactly will that be? What still needs to get...
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Bonus episode: Rep. Mark Amodei on the federal government shutdown
It's day 10 of the federal government shutdown and it seems Congress is no closer to an agreement to reopen the government. Amid the partisan standoff, we got the chance to sit down with Northern Nevada's representative in the U.S. House, Republican Mark Amodei. In this bonus episode, we asked...
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Why Nevada is refusing to hand over voter data with Sec. of State Cisco Aguilar
In August, Nevada government agencies were hit with a crippling ransomware attack. Thankfully, Nevada’s election infrastructure wasn’t affected. But against that backdrop — and with concern over Nevadans’ personal information still fresh — the Department of Justice is now requesting driver’s...
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Mass deportations in Nevada: Both sides of the debate - part 2
ICE arrests are surging in Nevada as the Trump administration moves forward with its mass deportation agenda promised in the campaign. In this episode, we go beyond the headlines to hear from both sides of the immigration debate. First, Athar Haseebullah of the ACLU of Nevada explains why his...
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Inside ICE arrests in Nevada — Part 1
President Trump’s second term has put mass deportations back at the center of U.S. politics — and Nevada offers a revealing look at what that means on the ground. In part 1 of our two-part series, host Ben Margiott talks to reporter Kim Burrows, who witnessed several ICE arrests during an…
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From Reid to Sandoval: Nevada author Pat Hickey’s portraits of power
The Silver State is home to some of the most interesting characters - political and otherwise. Former Assemblyman, journalist and columnist Pat Hickey recently released Here and Hereafter: Nevada Voices on Life and the Great Beyond. The book includes inspiring, intimate portraits of power of some...
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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto on Medicaid, tourism, the Epstein files and Gaza
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) is becoming a more prominent figure in the Democratic party as it tries to find the most effective way to push back against the second Trump administration. The tension between working across the aisle to make progress and resisting took center stage last…
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How will the 2026 elections be different in Nevada? With All Voting is Local’s Kerry Durmick
How will the 2026 elections be different because of the 2025 legislature? After sweeping changes in the last 5 years, Nevada lawmakers didn't make any wholesale changes to how we vote. But they did tweak certain laws regarding AI in campaign materials, sample ballot deadlines and language access....
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How will the One Big Beautiful Bill affect Nevada? A closer look at Medicaid and SNAP cuts
President Donald Trump's signature economic package, the One Big Beautiful Bill, is now the law of the land. It extends the Trump tax cuts, ends the tax on tips and boosts border security spending, among other GOP priorities. But it also makes drastic cuts to social safety net programs, including...
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‘No Tax on Tips’ effort is gaining momentum in Congress. It’s great politics, but is it good policy? With Culinary Union Local 226
It was a simple campaign promise to put money back in people's wallets during a Presidential election centered on the economy. 'No Tax on Tips' resonated with voters across the country but especially in Nevada, which has the highest percentage of tipped workers. That campaign promise, first…
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What happened in chaotic ending to Nevada legislature? Recapping the 2025 session with reporter Sophie Lincoln and analyst Fred Lokken
Late nights, filibusters and political gamesmanship. The end of the 2025 session of the Nevada legislature had all the usual shenanigans we’ve come to expect as sine die approaches in Carson City. On this episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, what happened? Which bills lived and died? And what...
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Education funding, film tax credits, nonpartisans and vetoes: The biggest questions as the Nevada legislature winds down with reporters Tabitha Mueller and Paul Boger
It is crunch time in Carson City — less than a week remains in the 83rd session of the Nevada legislature. Major policy proposals, big budget questions and the endgame are all still up in the air. Will education get a funding increase this year? Is there room for state workers to get raises? What...
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Mail time! Answering listener questions on public lands, no tax on tips, GSR arena and 2026 midterms with Chris Murphy
It's mail time at Ballot Battleground: Nevada. This week, we're digging through the listener mailbag for the first time in 2025 with News 4 and Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Ben and Chris answer questions ranging from public lands bills and no tax on tips to special sessions at the...
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Is Nevada in a budget shortfall? With top state lawmakers Steve Yeager and Robin Titus
It's almost time to get down to brass tax in Carson City as we're a little over two-thirds of the way through the 83rd legislative session. The massive list of bills has been whittled down somewhat, but perhaps more important than what legislation gets passed is passing a balanced budget. With...
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Sen. Jacky Rosen on tariffs, deportations, voter ID and federal lands bills
Jacky Rosen is back in the U.S. Senate for a second term representing the Silver State - after she barely hung on to her seat amid the red wave. Democrats are in the minority in both the Senate and House, but Senator Rosen says they’re finding their footing when it comes to pushing back on…
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Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei on tariffs, Signalgate, DOGE, immigration and more
Longtime northern Nevada Representative Mark Amodei, fresh off his 2024 re-election, is now part of the GOP's slim House majority in President Donald Trump's second term. It's been a busy start, from the back-and-forth over enacting tariffs, DOGE cuts, deportations, Medicaid, the Signal group…
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Are Nevada leaders doing enough to solve the affordable housing crisis? With the Guinn Center
A fast-growing state, lagging incomes and a limited supply of developable land created an affordable housing crisis in Nevada before the pandemic hit. Supply chain constraints and construction costs experienced during COVID-19 only exacerbated the issue. In the pandemic's wake, have our elected...
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Uprise Fiber internet scandal - where is the $9 million? With News 4 evening anchor Joe Hart
Residents of a small Nevada town were promised high-speed fiber internet from Reno-based Uprise Fiber. Nearly 3 years later, there is no progress whatsoever and $9 million allocated to the project by the state is missing. Now, investigations have been launched and the story has shifted to the...
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Eggs, Daylight Saving Time and Medicaid: What’s happened so far in the 2025 Nevada legislative session?
What's happened so far in the 2025 Nevada legislature? From a fast-tracked egg prices bill and ending Daylight Saving Time to possible Medicaid cuts, there's been a flurry of activity recently after a few slow weeks to start. One month in, we thought it would be a great time to check in on the...
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Nevada Legislature 101 with veteran lobbyist Will Adler
The clock is ticking at the 83rd session of the Nevada legislature, which kicked off last week in Carson City. Before we dive into the nitty gritty of the session, we wanted to start with an approachable, easy-to-understand primer for people who are brand new to #nvleg. How does our unusual…
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Gov. Joe Lombardo's former chief of staff Ben Kieckhefer on his second State of the State speech
Welcome back to season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada! We'll kick off season 2 with a deep dive on the first major political event of the odd years in Nevada politics - the Governor's State of the State address. That speech sets the stage for what's to come in the upcoming legislative session....
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Ballot Battleground: Nevada Season 2 Trailer
We're back! Season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada returns on January 29 with a renewed focus on getting regular people more informed and involved in their government. With the 2024 election behind us, host Ben Margiott will now focus on how the newly elected officials are using their power.…
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Election results certified, AG Aaron Ford on the incoming Trump administration and the continued push for open primaries in Nevada
All 17 of Nevada's counties have certified the results of the 2024 election, bringing this unprecedented cycle officially to a close. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott recaps the dramatic canvass meeting in Washoe County and looks ahead to 2025. Nevada Attorney General...
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Top 2024 election takeaways: Early voting matters, coattails, Reid Machine, ballot deadlines and much more with reporters Tabitha Mueller and Lucia Starbuck
What really happened in the 2024 election is now coming into focus with all the results now in. What are the biggest takeaways? What lessons did we learn about the electorate? What will candidates and campaigns take away and use in future elections? Tabitha Mueller, reporter with The Nevada...
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Election Day recap: Nevada turns red for first presidential election in 20 years, Senate race too close to call
For the first time since 2004, a Republican presidential candidate won the Silver State. Former President Donald Trump won Nevada's 6 electoral votes, but how did he beat his 2016 and 2020 margins? The Cook Political Report's Matthew Klein joins the podcast to explain the gains Trump made with…
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Can Dems close the gap in Nevada? Jon Ralston on the GOP’s early vote lead plus top Emerson College pollster and Kamala Harris in Reno
It's our last podcast before Election Day 2024! Vice President Kamala Harris makes her first Reno stop plus a quick update on the latest early voting numbers. The Nevada Independent CEO Jon Ralston joins to chat about whether Democrats can still close the turnout gap in the Silver State and…
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Trump and Harris tied in last NYT/Siena national poll, GOP out to early turnout lead in Nevada, Voice of the Voter and Vance visit
One week remains until Election Day 2024. The final NYT/Siena College national poll shows Trump and Harris deadlocked at 48-48. Siena College Research Institute director Dr. Don Levy joins to explain what that poll means, how it compares to their last head-to-head poll and how pollsters adjust…
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Early voting begins, Washoe GOP’s unproven claims, and polling on how Nevadans feel about the biggest issues of the 2024 election
Early voting has begun in the Silver State and already over 320,000 Nevadans have voted. This week, we have the sounds from the first days of early voting, a quick glance at early voting turnout numbers and an update on Washoe GOP's unproven claims of voting irregularities with the machines.…
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Amodei-Kidd candidate forum, mail ballots arriving, election updates and Trump's Reno rally
Mail ballots are arriving, early in-person voting starts this weekend and after months of campaigning, billions in spending and one of the craziest years in American politics ever, the 2024 general election is upon us. We start with a a quick recap of former President Trump's Reno rally and have...
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Debating Question 3: Open primaries and ranked choice voting - a Ballot Battleground: Nevada debate
It would be the most consequential change to Nevada's election laws in decades. Question 3 would put open primaries and ranked choice voting in the state constitution if it passes in November. News 4-Fox 11 hosted the first Ballot Battleground: Nevada debate featuring two guests from each side of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping Nevada politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter most to everyday Nevadans so they're fully informed before casting their ballot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Ballot Battleground: Nevada have?
Ballot Battleground: Nevada currently has 87 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Ballot Battleground: Nevada about?
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping Nevada politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter...
How often does Ballot Battleground: Nevada release new episodes?
Ballot Battleground: Nevada has 87 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Ballot Battleground: Nevada?
You can listen to Ballot Battleground: Nevada on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Ballot Battleground: Nevada?
Ballot Battleground: Nevada is created and hosted by KRNV.
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