Voter registration closed for the primary election on May 24, 2016 and the numbers are not good news for either major party. Nearly across all demographics, both the Democratic and Republican Parties lost voter share while Non-Partisan and minor parties gained. And while all groups increased voters, the rate of growth for Non-Partisan and minor parties also exceeded that of the major political parties.
Another surprising statistic is where the growth in minor party registration occurred. In addition to the Independent American Party (IAP) and the Libertarian Party (Lib), there are eight political parties that have members but do not qualify for ballot access. The IAP is by far the largest of the minor parties with over 57,000 registered voters. However, the growth in the Libertarian Party and the eight small parties out-distanced the IAP with the small parties exceeding 10 percent growth in three of the six demographics followed.
State-Wide
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
6,318
|
1.23
|
39.99
|
-0.09
|
|
R
|
4,857
|
1.09
|
34.89
|
-0.13
|
|
NP
|
5,609
|
2.32
|
19.09
|
0.16
|
|
Other
|
1,814
|
2.38
|
6.03
|
0.05
|
|
Total not D or R
|
25.12
|
0.21
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +0.9%; Lib +2.52%; other 8 parties +10.52%
Clark County
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
5,606
|
1.46
|
43.68
|
-0.10
|
|
R
|
2,823
|
1.05
|
30.68
|
-0.20
|
|
NP
|
4,937
|
2.86
|
19.97
|
0.23
|
|
Other
|
1,548
|
3.17
|
5.67
|
0.08
|
|
Total not D or R
|
25.64
|
0.31
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +0.97%; Lib +2.54%; other 8 parties +16.22%
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
556
|
0.63
|
36.53
|
-0.04
|
|
R
|
670
|
0.72
|
38.74
|
-0.01
|
|
NP
|
419
|
0.97
|
18.06
|
0.04
|
|
Other
|
144
|
0.09
|
6.67
|
0.01
|
|
Total not D or R
|
24.73
|
0.05
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +0.9%; Lib +1.48%; other 8 parties +0.55%
Rural Counties
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
156
|
0.38
|
25.15
|
-0.20
|
|
R
|
1,364
|
1.62
|
51.95
|
0.24
|
|
NP
|
253
|
0.98
|
15.87
|
0.47
|
|
Other
|
122
|
1.06
|
7.03
|
-0.01
|
|
Total not D or R
|
22.90
|
0.46
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +0.63%; Lib +4.2%; other 8 parties +0.12%
18 – 34 Year Old
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
2,750
|
2.14
|
37.19
|
-3.27
|
|
R
|
1,314
|
1.66
|
24.69
|
-0.23
|
|
NP
|
3,001
|
3.46
|
27.55
|
0.22
|
|
Other
|
943
|
4.08
|
7.39
|
0.10
|
|
Total not D or R
|
34.94
|
0.32
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +1.38%; Lib +2.9%; other 8 parties +15.78%
55+
|
Party
|
Change in # Voters
|
% Change
|
% Voter Share
|
Difference in Voter Share %
|
|
D
|
1,374
|
0.62
|
40.36
|
-0.10
|
|
R
|
2,196
|
0.97
|
41.16
|
0.05
|
|
NP
|
893
|
1.20
|
13.51
|
0.05
|
|
Other
|
277
|
1.01
|
4.97
|
0
|
|
Total not D or R
|
18.48
|
0.05
|
Other includes IAP, Lib, and 8 parties without ballot access.
IAP +0.58%; Lib +1.31%; other 8 parties +4.78%
The fact that the trend of voters leaving the Democratic and Republican Party continues is not surprising. The fact it continues in spite of intense efforts to energize voters by both major parties immediately before the primary election should send a clear message that voters want the system to change.
The 2017 Nevada legislative session can address this problem by enacting the Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act of 2017 (NEMRA – 2017)