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by Sondra Cosgrove CSN History Professor/Executive Director for Vote Nevada
The government plays a significant role in our daily lives, so for as long as we have had government, community members have responded through robust civic engagement. At times, we may feel powerless to influence policymakers who make critical, life-altering decisions. Still, we are not helpless if we come together to renew our commitment to being civic sentinels.
Average folks can feel silenced when they see elected officials easily speaking with reporters and community leaders to gather information and convey their message to the public. We may feel unable to match their access to the tools for being heard. Yet, in today’s technology-assisted world, we all have access to communication platforms that can amplify our voices and effectively disseminate our messages. The key is to harness those platforms and set our minds to speaking truth to power.
Many of these platforms are new and high-tech, but others are as old as the indigenous cultures that laid the foundation for American democracy. Newsletters, broadsides, and talking circles have been with us since the Iroquois Longhouses and the Mayflower Compact arrived at Plymouth Rock. While technology can make some people feel uncertain and possibly isolated from the community of civic engagers, we can overcome these barriers if we support one another with a helping hand.
The solution is to pair virtual communication with the tradition of joining clubs, associations, and nonprofit organizations to seek community with like-minded people who can civily reach consensus on solutions to society’s problems.
This is why I started my nonprofit, Vote Nevada. Through Vote Nevada, I engage with community members who are interested in civic engagement and the democratic process. Every summer, I offer Vote Nevada’s Summer of Civics, which includes many types of civics-based activities. This summer is no different; Vote Nevada Summer of Civics 2025 just launched.
We are currently reviewing legislative bills that failed to pass the first deadline to salvage any remaining provisions that local governments, public boards, commissions, or agencies could enact. Once our legislative session ends on June 2, we will begin creating civics education resources that new voters can use in the 2026 election cycle. Building a voter guide with job descriptions for every position on the ballot is a top priority.
Our centerpiece project is teaching community members how to run as nonpartisan candidates. All elected offices in Nevada are open to candidates who are not affiliated with a political party, but most people are unaware of this. Vote Nevada has volunteers who have run for office and some who are former elected officials, both of whom are ready to offer workshops on being a successful candidate.
Instead of adopting a political party’s platform, we will help our nonpartisan candidates focus on solutions for issues related to ending poverty and promoting robust workforce development.
Anyone interested in reviewing legislative bills, creating civics resources, learning how to run for office, or exploring other civics ideas is welcome to join us this summer. Just visit https://vote-nevada-blog.org/
