This Time The Game Is Politics, Votes And Elections Inside Allegiant Stadium: Raiders-Run Venue Become Voting Site On Election Day
Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The Raiders-run Allegiant Stadium hosts NFL/college football games and concerts.
It was built as a $2 billion entertainment project.
But on Election Day, Clark County Elections worked with the NFL Las Vegas Raiders to have the domed stadium play a different role — a civic role where some people entered the swanky pro football stadium for the first time.
Like two years ago, Allegiant Stadium was open for Election Day business as voters cast their ballots for Nevada governor, other statewide posts and lots of local races from Clark County commissioner to a slew of judge races.
Southern Nevada has contributed $825 million in public dollars to help Raiders owner Mark Davis build this stadium in 2020, paving the way for Davis to become a multi-billionaire thanks to the stadium’s revenue-generating income that has enriched the team’s value to at least $10 billion.
While the Raiders prepare this week to play the 49ers in Northern California, their home stadium played host to many people who can’t afford a Raiders home game ticket but got to enter the domed building to cast a ballot.
LVSportsBiz.com interviewed Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar to get his thoughts on an NFL stadium hosting an Election Day polling site. Aguilar, a lawyer who used to be the Nevada Sports Commission chairman, is charged with making sure elections in Nevada comply with law.
Aguilar, a Las Vegas resident running for re-election himself, made some newsworthy points about how the Raiders stadium brought out younger, first-time and independent voters to the voting site.
He also mentioned the Raiders stadium was a good voting site because the NFL team knows how to handle and manage people at the stadium and that sports are one thing that bring people together during these politically divisive times.
The stadium staged 38 ticketed events from July 2025 to June 2026.
Interestingly enough, Southern Nevada voters were never given the chance to cast a ballot on whether the Raiders stadium should be built with public dollars. The state legislators decided that — just like they did for the MLB Athletics stadium being built about two miles away on the Strip at Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue.
Voters came and went during the day at Election Day at the stadium until 7 PM when polls officially closed.
With the Raiders having their stadium available for voters, would the A’s open their baseball stadium on Election Day for voters on the east side of the Strip after the ballpark opens in 2028?
Aguilar smiled and will look into it.
PSA
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