Democrats hold wide registration edge as early voting opens

As early voting opens today , Democrats again have a wide lead over Republicans in registered voters in Nevada approaching the presidential election.

Democrats hold a 90,000-voter edge this year, compared with a 100,000-voter edge in 2008 when Barack Obama won Nevada by more than 120,000 votes, nearly 12 percentage points, according to final numbers released by the secretary of state's office Friday.

David Damore, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said the only surprise is that the Democrats did that well.

"In a down economy, the Democrats still get that many people to register," he said.

The Democrats saw a surge in voter registrations as campaigns heated up.

Between Oct. 1 and the registration deadline Oct. 16, more than twice as many Democrats registered as Republicans, 33,380 to 14,754.

The same pattern held in each of the past six months.

Larry Lomax, the Clark County registrar of voters, said his office has been swamped lately.

"We were surprised by how many people registered," he said. "We received over 100,000 applications in the last three weeks before the election."

Democrats account for 42 percent of the registered voters in Nevada, Republicans 35 percent, with independents and minor parties filling the gap.

"We're feeling really good about this," said Zach Hudson, the state Democratic Party's communications director.

Darren Littell, communications director for the GOP Team Nevada effort, said his party has an edge when it comes to enthusiasm.

He said the two parties have a virtually equal number of absentee ballot requests out, signaling higher Republican participation.

In both the 2000 and 2004 elections, Republicans held small advantages over Democrats in Nevada. The state went for George W. Bush by slim margins then.

Republicans still hold leads in every county but Clark County and tiny Mineral County, though the gap in Reno's Washoe County has shrunk to fewer than 1,200 voters.

As expected, Democrats hold a large advantage - 88,000 registered voters - in the 1st Congressional District, where former U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, is a heavy favorite.

They hold a 40,000-voter advantage in the new 4th Congressional District, where Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford is battling Republican Danny Tarkanian.

They hold an even smaller advantage in the 3rd Congressional District, about 7,000, where Republican incumbent Joe Heck faces Democratic challenger John Oceguera, the departing speaker of the state Assembly.

However, Republicans enjoy a 31,000-registered-voter advantage in the 2nd Congressional District, where Republican incumbent Mark Amodei is favored over Democrat Samuel Koepnick.

Damore said the Republicans' lack of organization against a well-oiled Democrat machine is largely responsible.

"Of course, turnout's the real issue," he said.

State and local election officials are predicting high turnout. Secretary of State Ross Miller said he expects turnout at 75 percent to 80 percent statewide. Turnout in 2008 was 80 percent statewide, topping 78 percent in 2004.

Lomax said he expects turnout to be near 80 percent in Clark County, which would match 2008's figure here.

Early voting starts today and ends Nov. 2.

Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.