Some Interesting Facts

Did you know:

Nevada currently uses the top-two primary for non-partisan offices such as city council and judges.

Nevada did not require party affiliation on voter registration until 1909 and in the primary elections from 1910 through 1916 all candidates were listed on the same ballot allowing all voters to cast their vote.

If automatic voter registration is enacted this legislative session, voters who do not specify a party will be automatically registered as Non-Partisan and not be allowed to vote in the primary election for most offices under the current system; an unintended consequence.  

SB 103 We Have a Bill

Senator Settelmeyer's top-two primary bill just had its first reading on the floor of the Nevada Senate. The bill is SB 103. You can read it here.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/79th2017/BDR/BDR79_24-0521.pdf

As Session Sets to Open Major Parties Still Losing Voter Share

The 2017 session of the Nevada Legislature begins in four days and the Voter registration numbers for January, 2017 show no change in the trend. Both major political parties continue to lose voter share while Non-Partisan and total voters not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican Party grow. According to the secretary of state’s office, some counties performed routine list maintenance. However, the trend still was across all demographics; state-wide, Clark County, Washoe County, rural counties, among those 18 – 34 years of age and those above 55.

State-Wide

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	-340	-0.06	39.55	0.00
R	-569	-0.11	33.09	-0.02
NP	76	0.02	20.89	0.01
Other	-41	-0.05	6.46	0.00
Total not D or R			27.35	0.01

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP -0.03%; Lib +0.11%; other 5 parties -0.26%

Clark County

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	77	0.02	43.23	0.00
R	-124	-0.04	28.86	-0.02
NP	220	0.10	21.81	0.02
Other	33	0.05	6.10	0.01
Total not D or R			27.91	0.03

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP +0.09%; Lib +0.25%; other 5 parties -0.22%

Washoe County

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	-314	-0.33	35.82	-0.01
R	-291	-0.29	37.09	0.00
NP	-126	-0.24	19.86	0.02
Other	-56	-0.19	7.24	0.00
Total not D or R			27.10	0.02

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP -0.34%; Lib -0.09%; other 5 parties -0.28%

 Rural Counties

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	-103	-0.23	24.30	-0.01
R	-154	-0.16	51.04	0.00
NP	-18	-0.06	17.25	0.02
Other	-26	-0.19	7.41	0.00
Total not D or R			24.66	0.02

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP -0.14%; Lib -0.21%; other 5 parties -0.64%

18 – 34 Year Old

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	-533	-0.32	39.63	0.00
R	-386	-0.41	22.73	-0.01
NP	-338	-0.28	29.60	0.02
Other	-95	-0.28	8.05	0.01
Total not D or R			37.65	0.03

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP -0.18%; Lib -0.24%; other 5 parties -0.57%

55+

Party	Change in # Voters	% Change	% Voter Share	Difference in Voter Share %
D	220	0.09	40.07	0.00
R	136	0.06	40.46	-0.02
NP	230	0.26	14.31	0.02
Other	39	0.12	5.17	0.01
Total not D or R			19.48	0.03

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.

Change is # voters: IAP +0.12%; Lib +0.23%; other 5 parties +0.05%

Major party loses also continue in congressional and legislative districts.

Congressional Districts

Party	# Districts Lose Voter Share	# Districts Gain Voter Share	# Districts No Change
Democratic	1	1	2
Republican	3	1	0
Non-Partisan	0	4	0
Other	0	1	3

Both CD 1 and CD 4continue to show the number of voters not affiliated with either major party is greater than or within 5% of the number of voters registered to one of the major parties.

State Senate Districts

Party	# Districts Lose Voter Share	# Districts Gain Voter Share	# Districts No Change
Democratic	8	6	7
Republican	17	2	2
Non-Partisan	0	17	4
Other	7	7	7

In 13 districts (61.9%) the number of voters registered as Non-Partisan or the total number not affiliated with either major party is greater than or within 5% of the number of voters registered to one of the major parties. This is unchanged from last month.

State Assembly Districts

Party	# Districts Lose Voter Share	# Districts Gain Voter Share	# Districts No Change
Democratic	23	18	1
Republican	30	7	5
Non-Partisan	6	28	8
Other	14	20	8

In 31 districts (73.81%) the number of voters registered as Non-Partisan or the total number not affiliated with either major party is greater than or within 5% of the number of voters registered to one of the major parties. This is unchanged from last month.

Bill language is pending on a bill draft request submitted by Senator James Settelymeyer (R-Minden) that will open up the primary election process to this continually growing segment of disenfranchised Nevada voters. The Nevada legislature can lead the nation by becoming the first legislative body to enact this important election reform. Voters in other states have lead election reform efforts. Isn’t it better if elected officials implement these changes?