Opinion ID: 2457368
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: NRS 30U.200 through .250

Text: This appeal involves a special election under NRS 304.200 through .250. The 2003 Nevada Legislature enacted these statutes to address filling vacancies in Nevada's United States House of Representative seats. The impetus for this legislation was the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. See Hearing on A.B. 344 Before the Assembly Comm. on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics, 72d Leg. (Nev., March 27, 2003). Since their realization that on the morning of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was headed toward downtown Washington, D.C., with the objective of destroying the Capitol building, congressional leaders and outside policymakers [began] asking how the federal government would have continued operating if the Flight 93 hijackers had successfully completed their mission. John Bryan Williams, How to Survive a Terrorist Attack: The Constitution's Majority Quorum Requirement and the Continuity of Congress, 48 Wm. & Mary L.Rev. 1025, 1027 (2006) (footnote omitted). Unlike Senate vacancies, which can be filled by gubernatorial appointments, see U.S. Const, amend. XVII, the United States Constitution requires the House to replenish its seats through elections. See U.S. Const, art. I, § 2, cl. 4. This led the House on October 2, 2002, to pass a resolution stating that, it is the sense of the House of Representatives that each state should examine its existing statutes, practices, and procedures governing special elections so that, in the event of a catastrophe, vacancies in the House of Representatives may be filled in a timely fashion. H.R. Res. 559, 107th Cong. (2002). NRS 304.200 through .250 answered these calls. NRS 304.230 is the centerpiece statute. It mandates that the Governor call a special election whenever a vacancy in the House of Representatives occurs and sets short time frames for doing so. [1] The exact time frames depend on whether the reason for the vacancy is a catastrophe involving multiple simultaneous vacancies, see NRS 304.210 NRS 304.240(1) sets forth the process for candidate nomination and placement on the ballot. This statute, on which Secretary Miller's interpretation rests and is the focus of this appeal, reads in full as follows: If the Governor issues an election proclamation calling for a special election pursuant to NRS 304.230, no primary election may be held. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a candidate must be nominated in the manner provided in chapter 293 of NRS and must file a declaration or acceptance of candidacy within the time prescribed by the Secretary of State pursuant to NRS 293.204, which must be established to allow a sufficient amount of time for the mailing of election ballots. A candidate of a major political party is nominated by filing a declaration or acceptance of candidacy within the time prescribed by the Secretary of State pursuant to NRS 293.204. A minor political party that wishes to place its candidates on the ballot must file a list of its candidates with the Secretary of State not more than 46 days before the special election and not less than 32 days before the special election. To have his or her name appear on the ballot, an independent candidate must file a petition of candidacy with the appropriate filing officer not more than 46 days before the special election and not less than 32 days before the special election. NRS 304.200 through .250 do not give details beyond those contained in NRS 304.230 and NRS 304.240. Instead, they rely on NRS Chapter 293. Thus, NRS 304.240(2) reiterates NRS 304.240(1) and states: Except as otherwise provided in NRS 304.200 to.250 . . . [t]he [special] election must be conducted pursuant to the provisions of chapter 293 of NRS, adding that [t]he general election laws of this State apply to the election. See also NRS 304.040 (Except as otherwise provided in NRS 304.200 to 304.250, inclusive, party candidates for Representative in Congress shall be nominated in the same manner as state officers are nominated); NRS 293.167 (Party candidates for United States Senator and Representative in Congress shall be nominated in the same manner as state officers are nominated.). Finally, NRS 304.250 provides that The Secretary of State shall adopt such regulations as are necessary for conducting elections pursuant to the provisions of NRS 304.200 to NRS 304.250. See also NRS 293.124; NRS 293.247. Although we have the Secretary of State's May 2, 2011, interpretation, no regulations have been adopted under NRS 304.250.