Voter registration near 870,000 with GOP holding slight lead

A total of 869,801 Nevadans are registered to vote in the Nov. 5 general election.

Republicans hold a 7,992 voter advantage in total registration: 363,295 to 355,303 for the Democrats.

"With the registration totals of the major parties so close, many races may be decided by very slim margins," Secretary of State Dean Heller said.

He said this enhances the importance of turning out for the election either Nov. 5 or during early voting, which opens Saturday.

Behind the two major parties is a block of 125,463 who registered nonpartisan in Nevada. After that comes a list of minor parties which, together, have a total of 25,740 registered voters. That group is led by the Independent Americans with 15,776 voters.

Of the three congressional districts in the state, two have more registered Republicans than Democrats. District 1 held by Democrat Shelley Berkley is solidly Democratic: 109,825 to 76,852 with 32,267 nonpartisan.

District 2 held by Republican Jim Gibbons is equally solidly Republican with 158,530 compared to 118,101 Democrats and 47,665 nonpartisan.

District 3, the new and open seat being fought for by Republican State Sen. Jon Porter and Democrat Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera is much closer in registration. There the Republican lead is just 502 votes: 127,858 to 127,356, with 45,514 nonpartisan.

While the state as a whole is close in major party registration, that's not true in Carson City and Douglas County, which are two of the state's most heavily Republican counties.

In the capital, the margin is 11,589 Republicans to 7,893 Democrats. In Douglas, the margin is better than 2:1 with 13,425 Republicans to 6,428 Democrats.

Other than Clark County, only Mineral and White Pine have more Democrats than Republicans registered. The bulk of the Democratic Party's strength is in Clark where they outnumber Republicans by 32,810 voters: 242,870 to 210,060. In total, 62.9 percent of the state's registered voters are in Clark County, significantly lower than the near 70 percent of the state's residents who live in Clark.

Early voting locations

Voters who want to avoid crowds Nov. 5 may cast ballots starting Saturday through Nov. 1.

Polling places will be open at 10 a.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Closing time is set for 6 p.m., but clerks can keep them open until 8 p.m. if they wish during the second week of early voting.

In Carson City, voting booths will be in the clerk's office in the courthouse on Musser Street.

Storey County holds its early voting at the courthouse in Virginia City.

In Douglas and Lyon counties, the schedule is more complicated because early voting is offered in outlying areas on specific dates. Call the county election offices at (775) 463-6501 or (775) 577-5033 for Lyon and (775) 782-9020 for specifics.