GOP active voters dominate Nye as state turns blue

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Secretary of State’s office on Friday reported there are 1,464,819 active registered voters statewide who are eligible to participate in the Nov. 8 general election.

There are 577,679 Democrats, 488,861 Republicans and 304,528 nonpartisans. The rest are minor-party registered voters.

Democrats represent 39.4 percent of the total active registered voters, Republicans 33.4 percent and nonpartisans 20.8 percent.

The numbers were released one day before early voting for the general election begins in Nevada.

The total number of active registered voters is up by 251,626, an increase of 21 percent, compared to the 2014 general election close-of-registration figures.

In the last presidential election in 2012, there were 1,257,621 active registered voters, with 526,986 Democrats and 436,799 Republicans. President Barack Obama won Nevada in 2012.

Active Democratic voters in 2012 were 41.9 percent compared to 39.4 percent this year; Republicans accounted for 34.7 percent in 2012 and 33.4 percent in 2016. The biggest gain over the four years was in nonpartisan voters, from 17.4 percent in 2012 to 20.8 percent this year.

Total active Democratic voter registration in 2016 increased by 5.3 percent (29,102), while total active Republican voter registration was up 3.8 percent (17,751). The greatest percentage increases were seen in Libertarian Party registrations with 10.7 percent (1,297) and nonpartisan with 9 percent (25,164).

Democrats have voter the registration edge in the congressional districts that includes Nye County.

In District 4, covering parts of Clark County and rural Nevada, Democrats have 154,731 Democrats compared to 114,895 Republicans. Incumbent Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev., faces Democrat challenger and state Sen. Ruben Kihuen.

Nye County has 27,381 active registered voters, up 1,859 since the primary registration closed May 24. The GOP leads the way in the county with 12,783 active registered voters, while the Democrats 7,536 and 4,822 registered nonpartisan. The Republican numbers have grown by 886 since May, while the Democrats have added 249.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com. Follow @seanw801 on Twitter.

Editor Arnold M. Knightly contributed to this report.