‘I vote and nothing changes:’ can Nevada increase primary voter turnout?

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley expressed disappointment after the most recent primary, saying fewer than 20 percent of registered city voters cast ballots. “The vexation I person is the deficiency of information successful our voting process,” she told LuAnn Holmes, the metropolis clerk who had presented the numbers connected June 18. Berkley acknowledged that Nevada had promoted voting through mail‑in ballots, education programs, early voting and numerous polling locations on Election Day, congratulating Holmes on a smooth process. She lamented that voting is easy in the state. “Is determination thing that we are missing here, that the metropolis could beryllium doing to promote radical to workout the astir ineffable close of being an American citizen, and that is voting for your elected officials?” Berkley asked Holmes. The two agreed to discuss the matter further. Experts attribute Nevada’s low participation to closed primaries, gerrymandering, noncompetitive races and widespread voter apathy. Clark County reported an 18.3 percent turnout among 1,511,315 registered voters, a figure similar to Las Vegas and below the statewide average of 21.8 percent. Participation among the county’s nonpartisan voters was even lower at 6.4 percent, despite that group representing the largest share of Democrats and Republicans. Over the past twelve primary elections since 2002, Nevada’s turnout has fluctuated between 16.2 percent in 2024 and 30.1 percent in 2010. Clark County recorded its worst turnout in the 2006 primary, when only 13,186 voters cast ballots—a 2.1 percent rate. Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar said the state’s automatic voter registration, enacted via a 2018 ballot question, influences the data. “In full numbers, the full figure of voters has increased,” he told the Las Vegas Review‑Journal. Voter participation also rises substantially during general elections, he noted, pointing to the 2008 and 2012 November cycles, which saw rates of about 80 percent. Aguilar credited competitive races in Washoe County, including the contest to replace Rep. Mark Amodei, R‑Nev., for that county’s 30.8 percent turnout in the most recent primary. He added that legislative races in Southern Nevada, the governor’s race and the mayoral contests in North Las Vegas and Henderson could boost turnout in November. “You tin re‑register to a enactment that you privation to enactment in, and past re‑register backmost to nonpartisan for the wide or aboriginal elections,” Aguilar said. “First, our work is to marque definite we’re moving safe, unafraid and accessible elections, which Nevada does,” Aguilar said astir his office. “Next is figuring retired however bash we marque definite the clerks are acceptable and prepared to go.” “We tin lone bash truthful much,” Aguilar said. “And yes, I bask talking to young radical to get them motivated to crook out. But successful reality, we person our archetypal responsibility: the medication of the election.” Sondra Cosgrove, a social sciences professor at the College of Southern Nevada, said Nevadans she has spoken to recently told her they have little to vote for. “And I