More Democrats than Republicans voted early

CARSON CITY -- About 6,340 more Democrats than Republicans cast ballots during the two weeks of early voting that ended Friday evening, according to the official count Monday by the secretary of state's office.

In all, 379,756 voters cast early ballots. Of them, 162,801, about 42.9 percent, were Democrats, while 156,264, about 41.1 percent, were Republicans. Also, 60,691, about 16 percent, were nonpartisan or members of minor parties.

The tally is 135,000-plus more votes than the 244,121 cast in early voting during the last nonpresidential election, in 2006.

Though more Democrats than Republicans voted early, the total showed Republicans are turning out a higher percentage of their registered voters.

There are 60,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Nevada.

Of the 1.19 million registered voters in Nevada, 36.7 percent are Republicans, and 42 percent are Democrats. The remaining 21.3 percent are nonpartisan or members of minor parties.

Nonpartisans and minor-party members did not turn out for early voting in numbers close to their percentage of registered voters.

The secretary of state does not chart absentee vote totals, but several counties keep these figures.

So far, 21,506 Democrats and 20,505 Republicans have cast absentee votes in Clark, Washoe and Douglas counties and in Carson City. The four areas have about 90 percent of all state voters. Counting absentee ballots in these four areas, at least 7,538 more Democrats than Republicans had voted heading into today's general election.

So far, 53,393 people have sent in absentee ballots, including voters in 13 other rural counties. A Republican-Democrat breakdown is not yet available for these rural counties.

Secretary of State Ross Miller expects a turnout of 60 percent to 65 percent for the election. That means about 700,000 votes, counting absentee ballots and early voting, will be cast.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.