Next Saturday is deadline to register for Sept. 1 primary

Monday, July 27, 1998 | 3:10 a.m.

But even with the chance to pick political candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and other prominent posts, officials aren't optimistic about voter turnout as Saturday's registration deadline nears.

The calendar is working against a heavy turnout: It's not a presidential election year, and this is only a primary, when parties decide who their candidates will be in the November third general election.

Recent history also shows that Nevada voters have a penchant for yawning at primaries: the turnout was about 30 percent in 1996, 44 percent in 1994 and 42 percent in 1992.

Washoe County Voter Registrar Laura Dancer predicts a September turnout in the 40-45 percent range in the Reno area.

But Fred Lokken, a political science professor at Truckee Meadows Community College, says the turnout statewide may not exceed 20 percent.

"It's hard to get people motivated," he said. "I see no groundswell to get rid of incumbents. It's not a time for unhappiness with government."

As of the end of June, statewide voter registration included 359,724 Democrats and 360,878 Republicans. The remaining 145,500 voters are nonpartisans, Libertarians, IAPs, Natural Law, Reform, Green and other splinter party members.