On Friday, May 29th, federal District Court Judge Miranda Du released an order granting part of Fair Maps Nevada’s requests. The group, hoping to create a seven-member independent redistricting commission, asked for an extension on their signature deadline and the use of electronic signatures. Judge Du granted their extension and pushed their due date from June 24th to August 5th. She did not grant their electronic signature request, saying that it would take time to roll out an electronic signature collection process. Fair Maps Nevada still has a long way to go. They reported having collected 10,000 signatures before stopping collection for the COVID-19 shut down and need to collect 97,598. Even so, this extension has given the initiative a fighting chance.
The group’s request came with a bit of opposition. The Nevada Resort Association filed to intervene and oppose the lawsuit. While they aren’t challenging the ballot measure itself, they fear what allowing electronic signatures or extensions would mean for other ballot measures. One such measure is one seeking to raise the gaming tax.
“The NRA and its members would be harmed because they would have to expend resources in a campaign that, if the law were followed, would never have occurred.” Said NRA Virginia Valentine in court documents.
Reverend Leonard Jackson, a politically connected Las Vegas Pastor, also is suing the ballot question’s language in state court.
