A new party wants access to Nevada ballot

The American Party of America is asking Silver State supporters for help get the new party qualified for the Nevada ballot.

Led by Dennis Andrew Ball of Marion, Ill., the party needs the signatures of 5,431 registered voters in Nevada to qualify for the November 2016 general election.

Ball visited the capital in June in his effort to form the new party across the 50 states. He wants to run for president as the new party's nominee.

Ball, who ran as a write-in candidate for president in 2012, said the new party is necessary to address issues that are damaging the traditional structure of the heterosexual nuclear family.

Ball is asking supporters to download a copy of a petition to gather signatures at his website: http://www.ball2016.com/events-ballots-2016-petit.

Volunteers then can circulate a copy of the petition but must include their own notarized signatures as circulators. Any Nevada registered voter can sign the petition regardless of party affiliation.

The petitions then can be mailed to the American Party Of America, P.O. Box 84, Marion, IL 62959.

Ball's party stands in opposition to what it views as abusive government actions, including taxation without representation, and in support of limited government, including doing away with such agencies as child protective services and probate courts that he said damage families.

Ball also supports a balanced budget amendment and requirements for welfare recipients to work or get job training, and opposes any further restrictions on Second Amendment rights, among many other positions.

He has authored two books, "The Ball Doctrine! Creating Peace & Prosperity In Every Nation!" and "America 2000: Foundation for Generations!"

— Sean Whaley

Senate Dems endorse in District 6

The battle to control the state Senate heated up last week when Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford announced that Nicole Cannizzaro has been endorsed by Democrats to run for the Senate District 6 seat now held by Republican Mark Lipparelli.

Cannizzaro is a native of Las Vegas and works as a deputy district attorney in Clark County.

Her parents were Culinary Local 226 members who worked in the Las Vegas hospitality industry. She is a product of Nevada's public K-12 and higher education systems. She attended Chaparral High School and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. Following college, she earned her law degree from UNLV's Boyd School of Law and was admitted to the Nevada state bar.

"Nicole is a tough, fair, and dedicated public servant," said Ford, D-Las Vegas. "In the courtroom, she has proven time and time again that she fights for those who need it most. No other candidate in this race can match her record of service to our community, and that's why we are so proud to endorse her for state Senate."

The District 6 seat will be a major focus for both parties, with Republicans now holding an 11-10 Senate advantage over Democrats. Ten seats will be up for grabs in 2016, but most are considered safe for incumbents of both parties. Senate District 6 has a 3,000 active voter Democrat advantage as of August, but there also are nearly 12,000 nonpartisan voters.

Lipparelli, appointed to serve out the term of Mark Hutchison after he was elected lieutenant governor in 2014, has not yet announced his intentions. But he already has a primary opponent, with GOP Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman having announced she will seek the seat.

— Sean Whaley

Munford ponders state Senate bid

State Assemblyman Harvey Munford might not be ready to lower the curtain on his legislative service. Munford, 75, said he's weighing a possible run against state Sen. Kelvin Atkinson, a fellow Las Vegas Democrat, for the District 4 Senate seat.

"So many people want me to do it," Munford said.

Munford is prohibited by term limits from seeking re-election to the Assembly. He will have served 12 years by the 2016 election. Atkinson, who spent 10 years in the Assembly, was elected to the Senate in 2012, replacing Steven Horsford who served one term in Nevada's 4th Congressional District.

Munford describes himself as the "heir apparent" to take over Horsford's seat, but didn't run for it when it was open, opting to remain in the Assembly.

But Munford has had a strained relationship with his party, making it questionable whether he would have the backing to unseat Atkinson, who was co-minority whip during this year's session and chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor in 2013.

A retired teacher, Munford last session served on four committees: education; government affairs; health and human services; and legislative operations and elections. But during his tenure, he never was tapped for a leadership position or committee chairmanship, something that rankles him.

Before the 2015 session, he considered caucusing with the Republicans.

He was skipped over for interim committee assignments this year as well.

"Why is that?" Munford asked. "Don't I earn something for serving 12 years?"

He added, "I do feel like it's a slap in the face."

— Sandra Chereb

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Follow him: @seanw801. Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Follow her: @SandraChereb