By Doug Goodman -Founder & Executive Director Nevadans for Election Reform
What impact did voters automatically receiving their ballot in the mail have on their decision to vote? Only a statewide poll of voters will give us that answer.
What we do know is that over 98 percent of ballots were returned by mail or drop-off. More importantly is the fact that voter participation (turnout) was unprecedented.
State-Wide Turnout
Year
% Turnout
increase vs 2016
% increase vs 2016
increase vs 2018
% increase vs 2018
2020
30.16%
11.62%
62.68%
7.29%
31.82%
2016
18.54%
2018
22.91%
2020 Turnout by County
Total
Democratic
Republican
Other
Average
38.76%
41.00%
45.82%
21.97%
High
50.25% Humboldt
49.25% Douglas
59.09% Humboldt
30.47% Humboldt
Low
27.76 Clark
32.01% Clark
33.32% Clark
15.25% Clark
NOTE: Republican Party exceeded 50% turnout in Douglas, Humboldt, Lander, Storey, and White Pine Counties
Percent of Ballots Cast
Year
Democratic
Republican
Other
2020
43.40%
40.16%
15.81%
2016
42.81%
48.13%
9.05%
2018
44.47%
43.55%
11.99%
In 2020 races where we could track turnout:
Congressional
Race
# Contests
Avg
High
Low
Congressional
8
35.56%
40.81% CD2 – R
24.39% CD1 – R
State Senate
3
29.11%
32.52% SD18 – D
24.45% SD11 – R
State Assembly
26
31.24%
43.37% AD40 – D
19.35% AD14 – D
Judicial
24
24.51%
30.35% Dist 2 Dept 11
23.06% Dist 8 Fam Div Y
These percentages show similar increases to the statewide totals.
Will the general election show a similar increase in turnout or a return to normal; 75 – 80 percent? How will the voting method; continue all mail ballots or return to normal in-person voting impact turnout? We’ll know in four months.
By Doug Goodman -Founder & Executive Director Nevadans for Election Reform
Was hoping to see the impact of same-day registration with the release of June voter registration numbers, but Washoe County was able to do their routine voter roll maintenance. This caused the overall number of active registered voters to decline leaving changes to voter share mixed.
State-Wide
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-3,378
-0.54%
38.55%
0.03%
R
-4,393
-0.82%
32.71%
-0.07%
NP
-1,067
-0.29%
22.67%
0.07%
IAP
-406
-0.57%
4.38%
0.00%
LIB
-252
-1.59%
0.96%
-0.01%
Other
-426
-3.49%
0.73%
-0.02%
Total not D or R
28.74%
0.05
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Clark County
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
4,803
1.01%
42.07%
-0.05%
R
2,754
0.85%
28.54%
-0.08%
NP
4,282
1.61%
23.62%
0.11%
IAP
721
1.53%
4.18%
0.02%
LIB
145
1.46%
0.88%
0.00%
Other
64
0.79%
0.71%
0.00%
Total not D or R
29.39%
0.13
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Washoe County
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-8,303
-7.93%
36.08%
0.16%
R
-7,734
-7.44%
36.04%
0.35%
NP
-6,157
-9.76%
21.31%
-0.34%
IAP
-1,194
-9.24%
4.39%
-0.04%
LIB
-423
-11.62%
1.20%
-0.04%
Other
-495
-16.03%
0.97%
-0.09%
Total not D or R
27.39%
-0.51
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Rural Counties
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
122
0.26%
22.45%
-0.12%
R
587
0.55%
51.27%
-0.12%
NP
808
2.05%
19.21%
0.24%
IAP
67
0.59%
5.46%
-0.01%
LIB
26
1.12%
1.12%
0.00%
Other
5
0.50%
0.48%
0.00%
Total not D or R
26.27%
0.23
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
18 – 34 Year Old
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-1,224
-0.71%
39.91%
0.15%
R
-1,997
-2.13%
21.25%
-0.23%
NP
-992
-0.72%
31.65%
0.11%
IAP
-128
-0.65%
4.56%
0.02%
LIB
-143
-2.01%
1.61%
-0.02%
Other
-209
-4.55%
1.02%
-0.04%
Total not D or R
38.84%
0.07
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and other
55+
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-1,162
-0.44%
38.47%
-0.01%
R
-1,327
-0.47%
41.09%
-0.02%
NP
-115
-0.11%
15.45%
0.05%
IAP
-171
-0.60%
4.10%
-0.01%
LIB
-38
-1.25%
0.44%
0.00%
Other
-88
-2.72%
0.46%
-0.01%
Total not D or R
20.44%
0.03
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
By district voter share changes.
Congressional Districts
Party
# Districts Lose Voter Share
# Districts Gain Voter Share
# Districts No Change
Democratic
4
0
0
Republican
3
1
0
Non-Partisan
1
3
0
IAP
1
3
0
LIB
1
1
2
Other
1
0
3
In all Congressional districts (100 percent of the districts) 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
16
4
1
Republican
17
4
0
Non-Partisan
4
17
0
IAP
6
13
2
LIB
8
6
7
Other
10
1
10
In 18 districts (85.71%) 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 an increase of two over last month.
State Assembly Districts
Party
# Districts Lose Voter Share
# Districts Gain Voter Share
# Districts No Change
Democratic
31
8
3
Republican
36
6
0
Non-Partisan
7
35
0
IAP
13
22
7
LIB
15
14
13
Other
23
7
12
In 35 districts (83.33%) 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.
We may have to wait to see the impact of same-day voter registration until the August numbers are released as list maintenance is due to be performed by the remining 16 counties this month. In addition to this, how many voters who maintained party affiliation or affiliated with a party to vote in the primary will change to Non-Partisan as the partisan divisiveness appears to be growing?
