Democrats add to lead among county voters

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 1998 | 10:56 a.m.

Clark County Democrats have gained ground on Republicans in voter registration in the last two years, figures released Tuesday show.

Of the 547,226 registered Southern Nevada voters, 243,619 are Democrats, about 31,000 more than the 212,512 registered Republicans. For the 1996 primaries, Democrats held a 25,000 voter edge.

The parties are nearly even statewide, however. There are 877,177 registered voters in the state, with 367,395 Republicans and 363,332 Democrats, according to the figures from the secretary of state's office.

The statewide numbers are balanced by the Republican advantage in Northern Nevada, especially Washoe County, where the GOP outnumbers Democrats 84,273 to 67,798.

In the state's two congressional districts, the regional split is even more evident.

Congressional District 1, which includes portions of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, has 174,208 Democrats to 134,377 Republicans. In the Northern District 2, Republicans outnumber Democrats 233,018 to 189,124.

These advantages do not always show up in the elections, as demonstrated when Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., won the District 1 seat in 1996.

Whatever their affiliation Clark County voters are turning out for early voting. With six permanent early polling sites and four mobile sites, 25,159 citizens had voted as of Monday.

The permanent sites are located at the Belz Factory Outlet World, Boulevard mall, Clark County Government Center, Fashion Show mall, Galleria mall and Meadows mall.

Meadows mall, at Valley View Boulevard and U.S. 95, has had the most voters with 5,476, while the Galleria, on Sunset Road in Green Valley, followed with 4,491.

The four mobile units have had approximately 1,500 voters apiece.