By Doug Goodman -Founder & Executive Director Nevadans for Election Reform
The voter registration numbers for September 2018 are clear. With a record number of Nevadans now registered to vote, they are abandoning both the Democratic and Republican Party.
Monthly changes in voter share above one-tenth of one percent are big, Changes of one-quarter of one percent are huge. That’s what is happening. Also as is par for the course, the rate of growth of Non-Partisan voters outpaces that of any political party.
The trend is across all demographics; state-wide, Clark County, Washoe County, the rural counties, among those 18 to 34 years of age, and those 55 years of age and older. Changes in congressional, state senate, and state assembly districts also show this continuing trend. Among those 18 to 34 years of age the percentage of Non-Partisan exceeds the percentage of those registered GOP by almost 8 percent and the percentage not affiliated with either major party now exceeds the percent registered as Democratic.
State-Wide
| Party | Change in # Voters | % Change | % Voter Share | Difference in Voter Share % |
| D | 8,547 | 1.49 | 38.33 | -0.07 |
| R | 6,908 | 1.37 | 33.74 | -0.10 |
| NP | 8,655 | 2.71 | 21.62 | 0.22 |
| IAP | 931 | 0.93 | 4.36 | -0.03 |
| LIB | 278 | 1.86 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
| Other | 41 | 0.29 | 0.94 | -0.01 |
| Total not D or R | 27.93 | 0.18 |
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Clark County
| Party | Change in # Voters | % Change | % Voter Share | Difference in Voter Share % |
| D | 6,514 | 1.49 | 41.92 | -0.09 |
| R | 4,361 | 1.41 | 29.57 | -0.09 |
| NP | 6,388 | 2.74 | 22.56 | 0.23 |
| IAP | 578 | 0.92 | 4.10 | -0.03 |
| LIB | 192 | 2.01 | 0.92 | 0.00 |
| Other | -9 | -0.09 | 0.94 | -0.02 |
| Total not D or R | 28.52 | 0.18 |
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Washoe County
| Party | Change in # Voters | % Change | % Voter Share | Difference in Voter Share % |
| D | 1,608 | 1.77 | 35.17 | -0.05 |
| R | 1,471 | 1.52 | 37.24 | -0.15 |
| NP | 1,651 | 3.13 | 20.65 | 0.24 |
| IAP | 230 | 1.15 | 4.44 | -0.03 |
| LIB | 47 | 1.43 | 1.26 | -0.01 |
| Other | 50 | 1.55 | 1.24 | 0.00 |
| Total not D or R | 27.66 | 0.20 |
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
Rural Counties
| Party | Change in # Voters | % Change | % Voter Share | Difference in Voter Share % |
| D | 425 | 0.96 | 23.00 | -0.05 |
| R | 1,076 | 1.08 | 51.82 | -0.04 |
| NP | 616 | 1.81 | 17.84 | 0.11 |
| IAP | 84 | 0.59 | 5.68 | -0.02 |
| LIB | 39 | 1.83 | 1.12 | 0.01 |
| Other | 0 | 0.00 | 0.55 | -0.01 |
| Total not D or R | 25.19 | 0.09 |
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 | 4,102 | 2.71 | 38.40 | -0.07 |
| R | 2,051 | 2.23 | 23.19 | -0.15 |
| NP | 4,725 | 3.95 | 30.66 | 0.31 |
| IAP | 536 | 1.61 | 4.54 | -0.06 |
| LIB | 193 | 2.80 | 1.75 | 0.00 |
| Other | 51 | 0.87 | 1.46 | -0.03 |
| Total not D or R | 38.41 | 0.22 |
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, and others
55+
| Party | Change in # Voters | % Change | % Voter Share | Difference in Voter Share % |
| D | 2,309 | 0.94 | 38.83 | -0.07 |
| R | 3,012 | 1.16 | 41.31 | 0.01 |
| NP | 1,602 | 1.73 | 14.76 | 0.09 |
| IAP | 195 | 0.69 | 4.10 | -0.02 |
| LIB | 14 | 0.50 | 0.44 | 0.00 |
| Other | 2 | 0.06 | 0.55 | -0.01 |
| Total not D or R | 19.86 | 0.06 |
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 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-Partisan | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| IAP | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| LIB | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Other | 4 | 0 | 0 |
CD 1and CD 2 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. CD 4 returned to this status; 75 percent of the districts.
State Senate Districts
| Party | # Districts Lose Voter Share | # Districts Gain Voter Share | # Districts No Change |
| Democratic | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| Non-Partisan | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| IAP | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| LIB | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Other | 17 | 1 | 3 |
In 16 districts (76.19%) 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. There was an increase of one from August.
State Assembly Districts
| Party | # Districts Lose Voter Share | # Districts Gain Voter Share | # Districts No Change |
| Democratic | 38 | 2 | 2 |
| Republican | 26 | 16 | 0 |
| Non-Partisan | 1 | 40 | 1 |
| IAP | 26 | 12 | 4 |
| LIB | 11 | 23 | 8 |
| Other | 36 | 3 | 3 |
In 32 districts (76.19%) 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 was an increase of one from August. Also, AD 3 changed to where the percentage of Non-Partisan voters now exceeds the percentage registered as Republican.
In two weeks, October 16th, voter registration for the general election closes. It is clear, both the Democratic and Republican Party are losing voter interest. Fewer new voters or voters changing party affiliation are choosing a major political party, instead shunning political parties altogether. Non-Partisan turnout and how they vote will decide several races.
I’ll be very interested to see how these numbers continue in the direction they’re trending in the months just prior to the 2020 election.
The current partisan-centric attitude, both state and national, can’t be doing anything but encouraging the demise of partisan politics. And with their complete lack of concern for the nation, I say “good riddance”.