Mike Escobar at the KUNR studio on May 29, 2024.(Lucia Starbuck / KUNR Public Radio)

Nonpartisan voter registrations first surpassed those of Republicans and Democrats in 2023, and the gap has kept widening by hundreds of thousands of voters. What role will they play in the 2026 Election in determining the winner of Northern Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District race, which is in play for the first time in 15 years following Congressman Mark Amodei’s retirement announcement? And how can candidates for CD2 and the Nevada governor’s race tailor their platforms to this growing voter bloc? All those questions and more are answered on the August episode of Purple Politics Nevada, hosted by Lucia Starbuck.

Nonpartisan voter roundtable guests: Great Basin College arts and humanities professor John Rice; Sparks renter and senior services advocate Marcy Kupfersmith; and Reno resident and Marine Corps veteran Mike Escobar, along with Truckee Community College political science and history professor Fred Lokken.

(Lucia Starbuck / KUNR Public Radio)

The United States has a long history of voter suppression tactics. As the 2026 General Election heats up, some of those same Jim Crow-era efforts to purge voter rolls, require identification, and disseminate untrue claims of widespread voter fraud are being shared while President Trump is attempting to federalize elections, including in Nevada. Tune in to this month’s episode of KUNR’s Purple Politics Nevada with Lucia Starbuck to learn about the state’s election laws and outside strategies to restrict voting rights.

Guests: Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar and Emory University Robert W. Woodruff Professor of African American Studies Carol Anderson.

(Lucia Starbuck / KUNR Public Radio)

Nevada candidates will have five months to make their case to voters ahead of the November election. While results from Tuesday’s Primary are still preliminary, clear winners emerged on election night. Tune in to this month’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada with Lucia Starbuck to hear how Trump-endorsed David Flippo defeated a longtime family cattle-rancher, who will now face former state Assembly leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson, along with the fight heating up between incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Ford. The main question: Are you happy with the current direction of the state and the country?

Guests: Associate professor of political science Jeremy Gelman, College of Southern Nevada history professor Sondra Cosgrove, and sound bites from Benitez-Thompson, Flippo, and Ford collected by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck, Emma Charles, Maria Palma, Lupe Alvarez, and The Nevada Independent’s James Wolfgang Perez and Nick Stewart.

Alexis Hill (left) and Aaron Ford are Democratic candidates for Nevada governor in the 2026 June Primary.(Headshots courtesy of Alexis Hill and Aaron Ford)

The June Primary is right around the corner, and mail ballots have been sent out. This month’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada, hosted by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck, focuses on the Democratic race for governor. Two current elected officials – Attorney General Aaron Ford and Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill – want to advance to the general election to most likely challenge incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo. Listen to the show to learn about their policy priorities on health care, housing, immigration, and data centers.

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, people vote at a polling place in Las Vegas. Nevada, the third state to vote on the presidential primary next year, is supposed to offer Democrats something different. It's more diverse than largely white Iowa and New Hampshire. Its population is working class, urbanized and increasingly blue. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)(John Locher / AP)

On this month’s Purple Politics Nevada, guest host Bert Johnson spoke with UNR Associate Professor of Political Science Jeremy Gelman about the wide-open primary for Northern Nevada’s Congressional District 2. Gelman broke down the likely frontrunners from both major parties and the role national politics could play in the race. Then, David Gibbs from Repair the Vote and Kerry Durmick from All Voting is Local Action joined the show to discuss Ballot Question 7, which would amend the Nevada Constitution to require photo ID at the polls. Listen to the full episode to hear their positions on the measure, which passed in 2024 with 73% voter approval.

Zach Conine (left) and Nicole Cannizzaro are the two Democratic candidates for Nevada Attorney General in the 2026 June Primary.(Headshots courtesy of Zach Conine and Nicole Cannizzaro)

The June Primary is less than three months away. This month’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada, hosted by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck, focuses on the Democratic race for attorney general. Two current elected officials – Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine and Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro – want to advance to the general election to become the state’s top law enforcement officer, but only one candidate can. Listen to the show to learn about their policy priorities.

Stethoscope on the dollars. Medical costs. Healthcare payment concept. Concept of analysis of the market and economy and interest rates.(spyrakot / Adobe Stock)

Federal subsidies for insurance under the Affordable Care Act expired, causing monthly premiums to spike; Nevada state employees are potentially facing a steep increase, and small businesses are feeling the brunt of rising health insurance costs, too. How does this hurt health equity and where do we go from here? In February’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada, host Lucia Starbuck speaks with Nevadans facing steep increases in their health insurance bills and explores the possibility of universal health care.

Guests: Aquious Plumbing owner Luke Paschall, musician Catherine Matovich, and health care reform advocate Dr. Joseph Jarvis.

This episode was published with the assistance of the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) Health Journalism Fellowship, supported by The Commonwealth Fund.

(Lucia Starbuck / KUNR Public Radio)

The countdown to the 2026 election has begun. Season 4 of Purple Politics Nevada, hosted by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck, kicked off with what the state might expect for the midterms. This month’s live show examined the gubernatorial race, the role of nonpartisan voters, and the top issues facing Nevadans, including the economy and immigration.

Guests: College of Southern Nevada history professor Sondra Cosgrove and Emerson College Polling senior director Matt Taglia.

The Nevada Legislature building in Carson City. Nearly 300 bills failed to advance by the first major deadline of the 2025 session, ending their chances of becoming law this year.(Manuel Holguin JR / KUNR Public Radio)

One of the main reasons Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo ordered state lawmakers to Carson City for a special legislative session was to pass the bill to expand transferable film tax credits to entice movie production to the state.

Supporters called the $1.8 billion in tax breaks a revenue generator and an economic diversification package that creates union jobs. Opponents called it a Hollywood handout at the expense of state services. Ultimately, the bill failed.

Where does the state go from here? Tune in to this month’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada with host Lucia Starbuck to learn more.

Guests: Democratic Assemblymembers Selena La Rue Hatch and Reuben D'Silva, Good Jobs First executive director Grey LeRoy, and Nevada Women’s Film Festival executive committee member Sarah O’Connell.

KUNR and KNPR journalists spoke about their collaborative housing series at UNR on Oct. 22 in Reno, Nevada, including Mariel Day (from left), Lucia Starbuck, Paul Boger, Vicki Adame, Maria Palma and Jimmy Romo.(Katherine Fulwider / KUNR Public Radio)

For the first time in the history of Nevada’s two public radio stations, KUNR and KNPR published a joint series called “Does Home Mean Nevada?” Six reporters collaborated to cover a wide variety of topics, such as the high cost of rent and home prices; how wildfires are impacting homeowners insurance; and what it means for Nevadans who want to live somewhere special to them, but can’t.

The journalists spoke about their reporting during a public forum at the University of Nevada, Reno, on Oct. 22. This hour-long special episode of Purple Politics Nevada is a recording from the live event. This is an edited recording for broadcast.

Guests: KUNR’s political reporter Lucia Starbuck, Lake Tahoe reporter Maria Palma, and reporting intern Mariel Day, along with KNPR’s political reporter and producer Paul Boger and Indigenous affairs reporter and producer Jimmy Romo. 

KUNR’s Senior Correspondent Bert Johnson produced and edited the audio.