*By Spencer Feingold*
Nevada's 2020 Democratic caucus is still over eight months away, but party organizers are wasting no time in their efforts to draw the broadest possible swath of the constituency into the process.
"We think this contest is going to be really competitive here," Shelby Wiltz, the state's 2020 caucus director, told Cheddar. "We have a really diverse state, and Nevadans are really reflective of what the electorate across the country is going to look like in 2020."
Like Iowa and a handful of other states, Nevada Democrats elect their presidential nominee through a caucus, which entails voters gathering to openly debate and decide on a candidate. This process differs from a primary — used in the majority of states — where voters simply cast a ballot and leave.
Yet the Silver State now offers multiple options for caucusing to ensure a high turnout. Aside from participating on caucus day, voters now have the option to make their voices heard through a four-day early caucus period or by participating in a virtual caucus, which will allow residents to phone-in their preferred candidates.
It is "an option for folks who may have a disability, folk who are homebound due to illness, single parents, or parents in general who are busy and taking care of their kids and may not have time to come to the caucus," Wiltz said.
The phone option will be available to the [roughly 667,000](https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/home/showdocument?id=6171) Nevada Democrats in English, Spanish, and Tagalog.
"Folks are eager to get involved, they are eager to come out and vote," Wiltz added. "We have really strong prospects for the future."
The actual in-person caucus is set for February 22, 2020; the date for the Republican Nevada caucus has not yet been announced.
Earlier this month, New York City experienced one of the deadliest fires it has seen in decades. 17 people lost their lives in the Fordham section of the Bronx. This was due to a faulty space heater which reportedly began on the lower floor of the 120 unit building. Thanks to the F. D. N. Y. And heroic neighbors, many were able to get out in time. Unfortunately, the toxic smoke surged upwards through a safety door. Now, many advocates say negligence by policymakers and landlords has led to the deaths in black and brown communities from fires that honestly could have been preventable. Legislative Director of Citizen Action of New York, Rebecca Garrard, and the Chair of Journalism and New Media Studies at St. Joseph's College Theodore Hamm, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Supreme Court has declined to order the Texas Abortion case back to the original trial judge for further proceedings. Essentially if Texas abortion providers were able to get their case back to the lower court., It would have greatly helped the group move against the law. However, this decision is likely to prolong the case legal battle. Professor and Author of "The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having — Or Being Denied — An Abortion", Diane Foster, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Supreme Court rejected yet another bid by abortion providers to block Texas's law - which bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. This is the fourth time that advocates have tried and failed to block the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. Leah Litman, assistant professor of law at The University of Michigan and co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As the standoff between the U.S. and its allies continues with Russia over its possible designs to invade Ukraine, President Biden held a video conference call with European leadership and had 8,500 American troops put on high alert. Jamil Jaffer, a former associate White House counsel for the Bush Administration, joined Cheddar to discuss his views on the escalating crisis in Eastern Europe.
As controversy dogs the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, China is hiring TikTokers and other social media influencers to promote the nation's history, culture, diplomatic efforts, and current trends.
The Supreme Court has rejected another request to block Texas' strict abortion law. This marks the third time the high court has declined to intervene in challenges to the law that bans abortions after six weeks, well before many women even know they're pregnant. Aziza Ahmed, professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, joined Cheddar News to discuss the impact of the law so far on women seeking abortion services in Texas.
Mayors in cities like Miami and New York City are considering introducing cryptocurrencies as a way to reduce economic inequality. Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez has even pushed for distributing Bitcoin dividends to the city's inhabitants.
The U.S. will be implementing a vaccine mandate for all people entering through its land borders, removing exemptions for "essential" travelers such as truckers, students, and business people. While the Canadian Trucking Alliance argues that the new, stricter rule might exacerbate ongoing auto supply chain issues, some health experts see the potential for helping curb the ongoing pandemic. Anthony Santella, a professor of health administration at the University of New Haven, joined Cheddar to give his take on the updated border crossing restriction. "We can't just focus on one type of travel. We need to ensure that it's clear and consistent across all types of travel," Santella said.
