Volunteers for ballot questions sought

Thursday, July 29, 2004 | 9:36 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller says he urgently needs volunteers to write arguments for and against the questions that appear on the November election ballot.

A 2003 law requires that two committees of no more than three people be appointed for each ballot question. One committee would write the pros on the issue and the other would development the arguments against.

Heller said he needs the volunteers by Aug. 3.

"Due to several court actions regarding initiative petitions that have delayed our ability to recruit volunteers to write the arguments and rebuttals, we are now in a time crunch to meet the new statutory requirements," Heller said.

He said this information must be assembled before the primary election in September so the county clerks and registrars of voters have time to include the ballot question information on their general election sample ballot.

Those questions to appear on the ballot include one to require the Legislature to pass the school aid budget before any other budgets; to raise the state's support of public schools to the national average by 2012; to revise the medical malpractice laws, limiting awards; reducing insurance rates by 20 percent; penalize lawyers who bring frivolous lawsuits and prohibit limiting recovery of damages in tort suits and raising the minimum wage by $1 an hour and then up to 3 percent a year.

Heller's office can be reached at 775 684 5705 or by email at nvelect@ govmail.state.nv.us.