Voter registration statistics for January, 2016 are in. Not surprising is that given the emphasis on the presidential caucuses and voter registration efforts by both the Democratic and Republican Parties along with their presidential candidates, the numbers show movement in their favor.
During the month of January, 2016, the state gained 15,949 voters over the previous month. The following tables show the impact.
State-Wide
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
7,142
|
1.34
|
39.15
|
0.08
|
|
R
|
6,720
|
1.54
|
35.16
|
0.09
|
|
NP
|
1,810
|
0.78
|
19.46
|
-0.11
|
|
Other
|
277
|
0.37
|
6.23
|
-0.06
|
|
Total not D or R
|
25.69
|
-0.17
|
Clark County
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
5,860
|
1.70
|
42.94
|
0.05
|
|
R
|
4,767
|
1.91
|
31.15
|
0.10
|
|
NP
|
1,698
|
1.04
|
20.14
|
-0.11
|
|
Other
|
330
|
0.71
|
5.77
|
-0.05
|
|
Total not D or R
|
25.91
|
-0.16
|
Washoe County
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
925
|
1.15
|
35.35
|
0.15
|
|
R
|
914
|
1.04
|
38.57
|
0.12
|
|
NP
|
-81
|
-0.19
|
18.97
|
-0.17
|
|
Other
|
-93
|
-0.57
|
7.10
|
-0.09
|
|
Total not D or R
|
26.07
|
-0.26
|
Rural Counties
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
357
|
0.91
|
25.07
|
-0.03
|
|
R
|
1,039
|
1.31
|
50.96
|
0.13
|
|
NP
|
193
|
0.74
|
16.63
|
-0.05
|
|
Other
|
40
|
0.35
|
7.34
|
-0.05
|
|
Total not D or R
|
23.97
|
-0.10
|
18 – 34 Year Old
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
3.628
|
3.47
|
38.06
|
0.41
|
|
R
|
1,692
|
2.41
|
25.24
|
0.01
|
|
NP *
|
1,060
|
1.31
|
28.90
|
-0.30
|
|
Other
|
179
|
0.81
|
7.80
|
-0.12
|
|
Total not D or R
|
36.70
|
-0.42
|
*NOTE – Non-Partisan registration exceeds Republican by 3.66%
55+
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
% Difference in Voter Share
|
|
D
|
1,538
|
0.72
|
40.18
|
-0.08
|
|
R
|
3,154
|
1.47
|
40.83
|
0.22
|
|
NP
|
200
|
0.27
|
13.85
|
-0.09
|
|
Other
|
-32
|
-0.12
|
5.15
|
-0.05
|
|
Total not D or R
|
19.00
|
-0.14
|
The above trend is similar when looking at individual state assembly and senate districts. In spite of the changes, there are still 11 (52.38%) state senate districts and 25 (59.52%) state assembly districts where the number of voters registered as Non-Partisan or total not registered as either Democratic or Republican either exceeds or is within 5 percent of one of the major political parties.
Will state and local candidates be able to maintain this shift in voter registration following the caucuses up to the June primary election? Will any gains in registration equate to increased voter turnout? Only time will tell. What is certain is that the importance of the registered Non-Partisan voter cannot be ignored.
UPDATE
Interesting statistic from Ralston Reports on February 10, 2016. Jon Ralston looked at the annual growth in overall registration for the year preceding the last three presidential elections, 2007, 2011, and 2015. The rate of growth of Non-Partisan voters far outdistanced the growth of either the Democratic or Republican Party. As shown below, the rate of growth for Non-Partisan increased while the rate of growth for both major parties decreased. Ralston did not include minor parties in his analysis.
2007
|
Party
|
Increase in # Voters
|
% Share of Increase
|
|
D
|
19,782
|
47.69
|
|
R
|
14,316
|
34.51
|
|
NP
|
7,384
|
17.80
|
|
Total
|
41,482
|
2011
|
Party
|
Increase in # Voters
|
% Share of Increase
|
Change in Rate of Increase
|
|
D
|
15,898
|
37.76
|
-9.93
|
|
R
|
15,153
|
36.00
|
+1.49
|
|
NP
|
11,046
|
26.24
|
+8.44
|
|
Total
|
42,097
|
2015
|
Party
|
Increase in # Voters
|
% Share of Increase
|
Change in Rate of Increase
|
|
D
|
33,677
|
36.58
|
-1.18
|
|
R
|
31,045
|
33.73
|
-2.27
|
|
NP
|
27,331
|
29.69
|
+3.45
|
|
Total
|
92,053
|