Nevada Ballot Initiative To Introduce Electric Choice Defeated, And It Wasn't Close

Nevada voters rejected Question 3, which would have required the introduction of retail electric choice, with "No" votes on the ballot initiative standing at 67%, with 85% of precincts reporting.

The Question 3 ballot initiative, which had to be passed in a second consecutive election to be adopted (after being passed by voters with 72% approval in 2016), had specifically asked: "Shall Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to require the Legislature to provide by law for the establishment of an open, competitive retail electric energy market that prohibits the granting of monopolies and exclusive franchises for the generation of electricity?"

Question 3 proposed to amend the Nevada Constitution to require the Legislature to provide by law for an open, competitive retail electric energy market by July 1, 2023.

Question 3 was opposed by NV Energy, the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce and several other such chambers, unions, various environmental and related groups including the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Geothermal Resources Council, Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club-Nevada Chapter, consumer advocates, and the Nevada State Education Association, among other opponents

NV Energy reportedly spent $63 million to defeat Question 3 this cycle, after not taking a formal position in 2016