Opinion ID: 2457368
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: NRS 304.240(1) lacks the competing plain meanings ascribed to it by the parties and is ambiguous

Text: On appeal, the Nevada State Democratic Party and Secretary Miller argue that NRS 304.240(1)'s plain language compels Secretary Miller's interpretation. They contend that the statute directs that the NRS Chapter 293 general election laws apply except to the extent that NRS Chapter 304 provides otherwise, and that NRS 304.240 expressly provides the procedure for nomination and placement on the special election ballot of major party candidates through a process of self-nomination, thereby eliminating any need to resort to NRS Chapter 293 on these issues. This construction, though arguably following the statute's plain language regarding the nomination process, necessitates interpretation regarding how the member of a major political party comes to be a candidate of a major political party who can be nominated by filing a declaration or acceptance of candidacy. It also does not address placement of the major political party candidate on the special election ballot. NRS 304.240(1). The statute expressly provides procedures for placement on the ballot for minor political party candidates and independent candidates, id., yet, in stark contrast, the statute does not provide any plain method for major political party candidates' placement on the ballot. Id. To fill these statutory gaps, the Nevada State Democratic Party and Secretary Miller ask this court to look to NRS Chapter 293's primary election laws, which' provide the means by which, in partisan elections, a major political party nominates its candidates and they automatically gain placement on the general election ballot. But NRS 304.240(1) directly states that no primary election is to be held, thus calling into question the relevancy of relying on primary election statutes. See also NRS 293.175(5)(a) (stating that certain NRS Chapter 293 election laws addressing major political primary elections shall not apply to special elections to fill vacancies). The argument also fails to recognize that, when a vacancy in nomination via primary occurs in a partisan race, a major political party candidate is designated by the party central committee, not nominated. See NRS 293.165(1). Thus, the Nevada State Democratic Party's and Secretary Miller's plain-meaning interpretation is unpersuasive. [2] Likewise, we are not convinced that NRS 304.240(1) carries the plain meaning the Republican Party ascribes to it. NRS 304.240(1) does not, by its terms, direct that a major political party's central committee designate a single candidate. Granted, NRS 304.240(1) directs that NRS Chapter 293 apply, thereby incorporating NRS 293.165(1), which addresses the filling of vacancies in nomination for major and minor party candidates in partisan elections and provides a procedure for party central committee designation of a single candidate. But NRS 304.240(1) in relevant part provides that [a] candidate of a major political party is nominated by filing a declaration or acceptance of candidacy. . . . The use of the term a candidate rather than the candidate, suggests multiple candidates for a particular major political party and creates enough reservation in our minds that we are unable to read NRS 304.240(1) as clearly and unambiguously contemplating the application of NRS 293.165(1). Further, NRS 293.165(1) and NRS 304.240(1) provide different procedures for minor political parties, thereby casting doubt on any asserted plain and unambiguous harmony between the two statutes. Accordingly, we conclude that NRS 304.240(1) is ambiguous, as it is unclear from its language the extent to which NRS Chapter 293 is intended to apply to special elections.