Deadlines loom for upcoming caucuses

A deadline is rapidly approaching for Republicans who want to participate in the GOP caucus on Feb. 23.

To caucus, participants must register to vote as Republicans with the Nevada secretary of state by Saturday.

Nevada Democrats who are abroad have another deadline: sign up to caucus by Sunday for a dial-in "tele-caucus" that takes place when Democrats caucus Feb. 20.

Nevada is an early voting state and is the fourth for Republicans after Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

The Democratic caucus on Feb. 20 follows the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries. Democrats allow voters to register at their caucus site, although voters can also register in advance.

Mixed results in earlier states emphasize the Nevada caucuses' importance.

On the Democratic side, candidate Hillary Clinton narrowly won the Iowa caucuses, while U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., won the New Hampshire primaries.

On the Republican side, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won the Iowa caucuses, and billionaire businessman Donald Trump won the New Hampshire primaries.

To register to vote with either party in advance, visit the Nevada secretary of state's office website at https://nvsos.gov/sosvoterservices/Registration/step1.aspx.

The Nevada State Democratic Party is hosting its first "tele-caucus" for military members who are stationed outside Nevada and Nevadans who are abroad, including family members of military personnel, students and members of the Peace Corps and Diplomatic Corps.

To participate, voters will need to visit http://action.nvdems.com/page/s/telecaucus to sign up in advance by Sunday. They will receive dial-in information for the event, which will run at 11 a.m. on Feb. 20.

Republicans have absentee ballots available for military members, their dependents and disabled veterans who cannot make it to the caucus location. Military ballots must be submitted by 5 p.m. Feb. 22, one day before the GOP's caucus on Feb. 23.

For information about the Republican caucus and absentee ballots, visit http://www.nevadagopcaucus.org.

For information about the Democratic caucus, visit http://nvdems.com/caucus.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1