Editing Prostitution in Nevada (section)

== Public opinion ==
The opinions of Nevada residents vary, but the majority appears to support the status quo of prostitution: they support laws allowing licensed brothels in the rural areas, but oppose the legalization of prostitution in Las Vegas. A poll conducted in Nevada in 2002<ref>Hagar, Ray.,  [http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2002/09/15/23806.php "Poll: Just over half oppose outlawing brothels"], ''[[Reno Gazette-Journal]]'', 2002-09-15, Retrieved on July 24, 2007.</ref> found that 52% of the 600 respondents favored the existing legal and regulated brothels, while 31% were against laws that allow prostitution and the remainder were undecided, preferred fewer legal constraints on prostitution, or did not offer an opinion. In 2003, nearly 60% of Nevada residents opposed the legalization of brothels and prostitution in Las Vegas (59% opposed this idea, 35% supported it and 6% did not know or did not answer). Again, support was stronger in the rural areas (where most people were born in Nevada) and weaker in Clark County and Washoe County; women were more opposed to the idea than men.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Lake |first1=Richard |date=October 30, 2003 |title=Majority opposes legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas |work=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Oct-30-Thu-2003/news/22479540.html |access-date=September 10, 2007}}</ref>

In 2004, after the closure of the last brothel in Churchill County, a county [[ballot initiative]] to permanently ban prostitution in that county was defeated by a 2–1 margin.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=GARCIA |first1=MARLENE |date=July 31, 2007 |title=Shuttered brothel destroyed in 'suspicious' blaze |url=http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20070731/NEWS/107310034 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517021426/http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20070731/NEWS/107310034 |archive-date=May 17, 2012 |website=Lahontan Valley News}}</ref>

A July 2011 [[Public Policy Polling]] survey found that 56% of Nevada voters thought that prostitution should be legal, while only 32% thought it should be illegal and 12% were not sure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2011 |title=NV supports prostitution, gay marriage, but not online poker |url=http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NV_0805.pdf |access-date=August 10, 2011 |website=Public Policy Polling}}</ref>

A June 2012 [[Public Policy Polling]] survey found that 64% of Nevada voters thought that brothels should be legal in the state, while only 23% thought they should be illegal, and 13% were not sure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2012 |title=Nevadans on Adelson, Brothels, Ensign, Etc. |url=http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_NV_615.pdf |access-date=June 15, 2012 |website=Public Policy Polling}}</ref>

[[2018 Nevada elections|In 2018]], [[Lyon County, Nevada|Lyon County]] voted by a 3-to-1 margin to reject Question 1, which would have repealed the county's brothel ordinance and closed four brothels in [[Mound House, Nevada|Mound House]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Alonzo |first1=Amy |date=November 7, 2018 |title=Lyon County voters say keep brothels -- question now goes before commissioners |work=[[Reno Gazette-Journal]] |url=https://www.rgj.com/story/news/local/mason-valley/2018/11/07/lyon-county-voters-say-keep-brothels/1917221002/ |access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref>