Tony Chavez and his wife, Elizabeth, came to Cardenas Market in East Las Vegas on Saturday to buy necessities such as bread, three dozen eggs and ingredients for tamales.
Chavez didn’t expect to check off other items on his list. But when I saw the poll workers and the sign that said I could vote, I thought, hmmm, maybe I should vote.
“I’ve already made my decision, and I need to act quickly to get over that line,” Chavez, 38, said while wearing a prominent “I Voted” sticker on his all-black Las Vegas Raiders letterman jacket. It’s better to do that.”
“I saw the sign and thought, ‘Is this voting?'” he added. “‘Let me do it now.'”
Mr. Chavez, who works as a cook, was part of a steady stream of people who used that particular polling place in Las Vegas on the first day of in-person early voting in Nevada, which runs through Nov. 1. .
He declined to say who he supports for president, but said immigration and women’s rights are important to him and that his choice “will impact the future of our children.”
Another voter, James Still, was also surprised by how convenient it was. Still, whose wife Jennifer wore a shirt supporting Harris, said they both voted for Harris because “politicians shouldn’t be telling women what to do with their bodies.” Ta. For them, and for Mr. Chavez, voting was an added benefit of coming to the store.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump are locked in a close race for Nevada’s six electoral votes. Both candidates have spent recent time in the state, with Trump scheduled to return next Thursday for a rally at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Polls show that Nevada’s elections are extremely close, leading to an influx of canvassers knocking on people’s doors, tens of millions of dollars in television advertising, and a surge in votes from both parties. There is a constant flow of agents.
For Democrats, Saturday culminated with an appearance in Las Vegas by former President Barack Obama, who has been visiting battleground states to energize Democrats. He was in Tucson, Arizona on Friday.
Speaking to a packed high school gymnasium with 3,000 people and an overflow area for another 1,000 people, Obama spoke about the challenges facing Nevadans and how they are “treading water,” according to the Harris campaign. (in his own words), he said. High home prices and consumer prices, and how that makes alternatives to the Democratic Party attractive.
“I understand why people want to shake things up,” he told the crowd. “What I don’t understand is why anyone would think Donald Trump is going to change things for the better for you.” He added, “We don’t need a president who makes problems worse just to make politics better.” No,” he said.
“What the campaign is probably thinking is now is the time to vote and to convince people that they won the race,” said Democratic strategist David Cohen, who served as Nevada state bureau chief for Obama’s 2008 primary. “How do we get enough attention to remind them?” Don’t have time to vote early? ”
“Barack Obama is probably the only way to make that happen,” Cohen added.
Early Saturday morning, Nevada Republican lawmakers met near a polling place in Summerlin, Nevada, to discuss the benefits of early voting.
“We have to get rid of all our friends,” Michael McDonald, chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, told a crowd of about 50 people, along with state Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown and other politicians. “Act like they owe you money. Get them to vote.”
“We have to take back this country,” McDonald added. “Not just for President Trump, but for all the candidates. He needs support, so it doesn’t help us if he wins and no one else wins.”
Tom and Lori Johnson emerged from an early voting site in northwest Las Vegas and said they were both excited to vote for Trump.
Johnson noted that Washoe County had a rare snowstorm on Election Day in 2022, and said this is an example of not knowing what will happen.
“I just wanted to vote early and vote early,” he said, adding: Whether it’s Trump’s side or the Republican side, our country is in trouble. ”
Several Latino lawmakers, including California Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Nanette Barragan, joined about two dozen voters along with a mariachi band and taco truck in front of the East Las Vegas field office for the Democratic candidate. and encouraged volunteers. The surrogate mothers spoke about how they had served alongside Harris and how they believed she would move the country in a positive direction. They also talked about Trump’s demonization of Mexicans and immigrants more broadly.
This will include an event scheduled for Sunday in Reno featuring Gwen Walz, wife of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, and actress Jennifer Garner. It was one of several events held to encourage people to vote. .
Padilla, who replaced Harris in 2021 as California’s first Latino senator, spoke to the audience in Spanish and English and joked that he didn’t simply get lost on his way back to Los Angeles.
“You’re going to be buying groceries anyway,” Padilla said, noting that the closest voting location is a market.
“Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your neighbors, bring your co-workers,” he said. “It is very important that all eligible voters come out and vote.”
