About this podcast
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
The newest 20 of 87 episodes
- A tearful goodbye and thank you · 4 minAfter 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…
- Washoe County asks voters: Should EV drivers pay more for roads? With RTC’s Bill Thomas · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 15As 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…
- Supreme Court mail ballot ruling and Nevada's election results mishap with Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 14The 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…
- Flippo, Benitez-Thompson advance in CD2 race and Nevada Governor matchup is set. Primary election recap with reporters Kim Burrows and Alisabeth Mitchell · 33 min · Season 3 Episode 13Nevada'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…
- Closed primaries, data centers and new ballot marking devices: Nevada primary election mailbag with Chris Murphy · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 12Primary 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…
- CD2 drama escalates as attacks ramp up, candidates drop out with The Nevada Independent’s Mini Racker · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 11Attack 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…
- Voting in Nevada 101: Everything you need to know before casting a ballot with Washoe registrar Andrew McDonald · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 10Primary 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…
- Washoe DA Chris Hicks defends his record against ‘inexperienced’ challenger Duncan · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 9For 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…
- Wes Duncan’s case for Washoe DA: Crime, charging decisions and nepotism · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 8For 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…
- Inside the poll: Early numbers show dead heat in Nevada governor's race with Noble Predictive Insights · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 7Nevada’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…
- Mail time! Answering your biggest Nevada primary election questions with Chris Murphy · 33 min · Season 3 Episode 6There 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…
- Should ‘late-arriving’ mail ballots count? How SCOTUS case could affect Nevada · 36 min · Season 3 Episode 5In 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…
- Could Nevada’s deep red CD2 actually flip blue? Talking top candidates with UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman · 35 min · Season 3 Episode 4The 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…
- Ballot printers, voter ID and the future of voting in Nevada with election chief Cisco Aguilar · 28 min · Season 3 Episode 3Candidate 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 making of Harry Reid’s machine — and the wide-open CD2 race with Jon Ralston · 28 min · Season 3 Episode 2Harry 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…
- Why Nevada wants to be 1st in 2028 — Artie Blanco on Nevada's case to lead the Presidential nominating calendar · 33 min · Season 3 Episode 1Nevada 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…
- Ballot Battleground: Nevada Season 3 Trailer · 2 minBallot 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…
- Dramatic Nevada special session ends with film tax failure, crime bill passage — with reporters Paul Boger, Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren · 53 min · Season 2 Episode 24After 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…
- Washoe County election chief Andrew McDonald on turnover, voter rolls and … paper ballots? · 31 min · Season 2 Episode 23In 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…
- Taxes, John Doe, special session cost and cereal: Answering your listener questions with Chris Murphy · 31 min · Season 2 Episode 22It'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…
