Tim Walz encourages early voting in Southern Nevada on Sunday

Gov. Tim Walz encouraged Nevadans to vote early during his multiple campaign stops in Southern Nevada on Sunday, just nine days from the Nov. 5 election.

Walz’ visit comes in the middle of Nevada’s two-week stretch of early voting that ends Nov. 1. Republicans have outnumbered Democrats in early voting turnout, with nearly 244,000 votes cast in person, by mail or using the EASE voting system to Democrats’ nearly 213,000. Of the Nonpartisan and third-party voters, 155,000 have cast votes as of Sunday morning.

At a Native Americans for Harris-Walz event at MGM Grand, Walz highlighted issues important to Indigenous tribes in attendance. Signs read “Sko vote” and “Indian Country for Harris-Walz.”

“If our tribal nations are doing well, the rest of the nation is doing well,” Walz said.

Walz talked about the need to end ambulance deserts in Indian Country and the need to deliver resources promised to tribes.

The governor also compared and contrasted the Biden-Harris administration’s record on Indigenous issues with that of the Trump campaign.

“Donald Trump — not going to come as a shock to you — wasn’t really great on tribal issues,” Walz said.

Walz said Trump excluded tribal businesses from applying for pandemic aid and made it harder for tribes to regain ancestral lands. Trump also tried to derecognize tribes and block the expansion of casinos, Walz said. He also never convened a White House Tribal Nations Conference, Walz claimed, and he tried to repeal the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Brian Weeden, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, said he thinks Walz is a great candidate for Indian Country.

“I think that because of his lieutenant governor, he has a good understanding of sovereignty and all the issues that we face,” Weeden said, adding that if Walz gets elected, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a member of White Earth Band of Ojibwe, could become the first female and Native American governor for the state.

Weeden said top issues facing Indian Country are underfunded mandates, such as the Indian Health Service, getting the federal government to understand their trust responsibility, as well as water and land rights.

Earlier in the day, Walz also rallied volunteers at the campaign’s office in Henderson ahead of door knocking, highlighting their role in electing the next president and vice president.

“The door knocks you’re making very possibly could be the difference between electing Kamala Harris and moving us into a positive future, or the nightmare of Donald Trump,” he told the crowd of about 100 at a “Fighting for Reproductive Freedom” bus tour kicking off door-knocking.

He talked about the importance of leaving health care decisions to women, their families and doctors.

Walz was joined by Rep. Dina Titus and Kaitlyn Joshua, a reproductive rights advocate who told the story about miscarrying a pregnancy in Louisiana and getting turned away from two emergency rooms.

“They sent me home, saying they would pray for me,” Joshua said, to sounds of exasperation from the crowd.

She said it took her weeks to pass her pregnancy at home, and she was terrified.

“That’s why we must turn out to vote for two fighters for reproductive freedom, Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz,” Joshua said.

In the afternoon, he will join a Latinos con Harris-Walz get-out-the-vote event and watch party for the Raiders football game.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.