Nevada voters no longer have 'none' choice

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CARSON CITY, Nev., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Nevada can no longer give voters the option of selecting "none of the above" in elections, a federal judge says.

U.S. District Judge Robert Jones ruled Wednesday in favor of a challenge to a state law adopted after the Watergate scandal, The New York Times reported. The plaintiffs included several Republicans backed by the Republican National Committee, two of Mitt Romney's Electoral College electors, a registered Democrat and an independent.

Ross Miller, Nevada's Democratic secretary of state, said he plans to appeal the decision. Jones issued an oral ruling and said he will release a written opinion before Sept. 7, when the state's ballot becomes final.

Republicans believe allowing voters to choose "none" helped U.S. Sen. Harry Reid win a tight race in 1998. Reid, now the Democratic majority leader, defeated John Ensign, later elected to the other Senate seat, by only 428 votes, while 8,125 opted for "none."

This year's presidential race is expected to be close as is the Nevada Senate race with Dean Heller, who was appointed to serve Ensign's unexpired term, seeking a full term.