Routine Voter List Maintenance Benefits GOP

The secretary of state’s office performed routine voter list maintenance* in October. While the overall number of active registered voters declined by over 36,000, the Republican Party came out the winner increasing voter share in all categories. The maintenance had mixed results for Non-Partisan and minor parties, however, the bad news continues for the Democratic Party; they lost voter share across all demographics.
(* Routine voter list maintenance is done quarterly and involves the moving of voters found to be inactive from the active to inactive lists, the removal of voters reported to be deceased, and removal of voters who have unregistered)

State-Wide

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D -17,616 -3.03 38.84 -0.24
R -6,440 -1.31 33.48 0.38
NP -9,033 -2.86 21.18 -0.09
Other -3,001 -3.09 6.49 -0.04
Total not D or R 27.67 -0.13

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP -2.60 / -0.01%; Lib -2.20% / 0.00%; other 5 parties -5.71% /-0.04

Clark County

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D -17,768 -3.96 42.48 -0.18
R -7,174 -2.36 29.22 0.36
NP -9,360 -4.00 22.15 -0.10
Other -3,102 -4.74 6.14 -0.08
Total not D or R 28.29 -0.18

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP -4.04% /-0.02%; Lib -4.01% / 0.00%; other 5 parties –7.70% / -0.05%

Washoe County

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D 220 0.25 35.25 -0.04
R 431 0.46 37.57 0.03
NP 212 0.43 20.02 0.01
Other 59 0.33 7.17 0.00
Total not D or R 27.19 0.01

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP +0.33% / 0.00%; Lib +0.88% / 0.01%; other 5 parties -0.15 /   -0.01%

Rural Counties

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D -68 -0.15 23.79 -0.09
R 303 0.32 51.24 0.06
NP 115 0.35 17.50 0.03
Other 42 0.30 7.47 0.01
Total not D or R 24.97 0.04

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP +0.18% / 0.00%; Lib +1.43% / 0.01%; other 5 parties -0.46% / 0.00%

18 – 34 Year Old

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D -8,094 -5.20 38.77 -0.38
R -2,065 -2.30 23.07 0.47
NP -5,237 -4.37 30.09 -0.03
Other -1,629 -5.05 8.06 -0.06
Total not D or R 38.15 -0.09

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP -4.47% / -0.01%; Lib -3.47% / +0.01%; other 5 parties -7.82% / -0.07%

55+

Party Change in # Voters % Change % Voter Share Difference in Voter Share %
D -3,566 -1.46 39.43 -0.16
R -1,600 -0.64 40.66 0.17
NP -886 -0.98 14.68 0.01
Other -486 -1.50 5.23 -0.02
Total not D or R 19.91 -0.01

Other includes IAP, Lib, and 5 parties without ballot access.
Change is # voters / voter share: IAP -1.38% / -0.01%; Lib -0.47% / 0.00%; other 5 parties -3.05% / -0.01%

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 4 0 0
Republican 0 4 0
Non-Partisan 3 1 0
Other 3 1 0

CD 1, CD 2, and CD 4 continue 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 20 1 0
Republican 1 20 0
Non-Partisan 15 5 1
Other 17 4 4

In 15 districts (71.43%) 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. SD 5, which was added last month reverted back.

State Assembly Districts

Party # Districts Lose Voter Share # Districts Gain Voter Share # Districts No Change
Democratic 37 4 1
Republican 3 39 0
Non-Partisan 32 9 1
Other 35 5 2

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. As was the case in the senate, the changes in AD 9 and 42 reverted back, however, the overall number did not change.

When routine voter list maintenance is performed, decreases in all data elements are the norm. Whether the increase in GOP voter share is strictly a result of this or if other factors also are influencing growth will not be known for a few months.

With candidates for state and federal offices entering the races just seven months before the closed primaries, voter share will become increasingly important. If trends remain intact, fewer voters will be determining who all voters chose between next November in the general election. Voters voluntarily putting themselves in that position send a clear message that the system is broken.  Nevadans for Election Reform has the fix.