Steady stream of early voters casting ballots

Preliminary numbers show moving the primary to June may increase voter participation after all.

A total of 409 Douglas County voters cast ballots early on Saturday, outstripping the turnout for August of 2006, the last time Douglas had an off-presidential primary. That year 366 voters cast early ballots on the first day.

"It's been a good turn-out," said Elections Clerk Concha Lord. "With the new June primary date, we're already busier than I anticipated."

This is the first year that Nevada has held a June non-presidential primary election in its history. On Monday, 311 people cast ballots.

Lord said the clerk's office has issued 1,400 absentee ballots, which is a lot for a nonpresidential primary.

"We're really pleased with the amount of interest in the primary," she said.

Republicans have nine races ranging from clerk-treasurer, to Assembly all the way up to picking a challenger to run against U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Democrats have four races to choose from, including those for Senate, Congress, governor and lieutenant governor.

Nearly 100 people registered to vote between May 3 and May 18 when registration closed for the primary.

There was a surge of 147 new Republicans with preliminary numbers indicating a total 16,743 active and inactive voters.

Voters in minor parties or independents outside of the town of Minden will find a single candidate on their ballot, Sheriff Ron Pierini, who is running for re-election unopposed.

Minden residents of all parties will have an opportunity to choose the top six of seven candidates in the town's first primary election.