Nevada

Democrats control both chambers of the legislature. Republican Governor Joe Lombardo controls the veto pen. He has used it 162 times in a single term, more than any Nevada governor in history. Paid family leave, IVF protections, and gun safety bills have all died on his desk.

The 2026 governor’s race is tied 41-41 between Lombardo and likely Democratic nominee AG Aaron Ford. That race decides whether the veto wall holds.

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Governor vs. legislature

Lombardo vetoed 87 bills in the 2025 session alone, breaking his own 2023 record of 75. He killed paid family leave (AB 388) that would have required 12 weeks of paid leave for employees at businesses with 50+ workers. He vetoed IVF protections. He vetoed three gun control bills. He vetoed a bill restricting ICE on school grounds.

He also vetoed his own voter ID bill, saying it “would apply voter ID requirements unequally between in-person and mail ballot voters.”

162 vetoes in one term — more than any Nevada governor in history. The legislature has the votes to pass bills. One person stops them.

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Healthcare and benefits

State estimates show roughly 100,000 Nevadans (12.5% of Medicaid enrollees) are projected to lose coverage in the first two years after federal work requirements take effect in 2027. The reconciliation bill requires eligibility checks every six months instead of annually, and 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or school for the expansion population.

Starting January 2026, all 17 Nevada counties switched to Medicaid Managed Care, affecting approximately 75,000 rural beneficiaries. If you are on Medicaid in a rural county, your coverage structure already changed.

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Water crisis

A Tier 1 water shortage will remain in effect through 2026. Nevada’s full allocation of 300,000 acre-feet is reduced to 279,000, a 7% cut. Lake Mead sits at roughly 31% capacity, about 175 feet below full.

The water level will likely fall below 1,050 feet by July 2026, triggering a Tier 2 shortage and cutting another 4,000 acre-feet. Colorado River states had until February 14, 2026 to reach a new water-sharing agreement before current rules expire at the end of 2026, or the federal government would impose its own plan.

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Immigration

Nevada became the first state removed from the federal “sanctuary jurisdictions” list on September 26, 2025, after Lombardo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the DOJ to “fully collaborate” on federal immigration enforcement.

He then signed AB 4, his marquee criminal justice bill, which included provisions curtailing ICE activity on school grounds and requiring the Department of Corrections to create a detainee locator for incarcerated people awaiting ICE pickup. The bill tries to comply with the Trump administration agreement while setting some limits.

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2026 elections

The governor’s race is the fight. Emerson College polling shows Lombardo and AG Aaron Ford tied at 41% with 18% undecided. Ford must first win the Democratic primary (June 9) against Alexis Hill.

Race	Candidates	Date
Governor	Joe Lombardo (R) vs. Aaron Ford (D, likely)	Nov. 3, 2026
Primary	Ford vs. Alexis Hill (D)	June 9, 2026

Every policy on this page runs through the governor’s veto pen. A tied race means turnout decides everything.

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Protect yourself right now

1. Check your voter registration. The June 9 primary is first. Verify at nvsos.gov.

2. Verify your Medicaid status. If you are on Medicaid in a rural county, your coverage structure changed January 1, 2026. Federal work requirements start 2027. Keep your information current.

3. Track the water situation. Tier 2 shortage is likely by July. If you live in the Las Vegas metro, follow the Southern Nevada Water Authority for conservation requirements.

4. Ask governor candidates about the vetoes. 162 bills killed, including paid leave and IVF protections. Make candidates explain which ones they would have signed.

5. Know your rights with ICE. Nevada signed a cooperation MOU with the DOJ. If you are contacted by immigration enforcement, you do not have to answer questions without a lawyer. The ACLU of Nevada has resources.