Smooth municipal election day predicted

Adrienne Packer

Monday, May 3, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

While the last of the 804 voting machines were hauled from a Clark County warehouse to polls this morning, county officials predicted a smooth primary election with no significant lines.

Not only are turnouts for municipal elections smaller than federal races, but the cities' debut Early Voting Program was deemed a success and that means fewer voters will be at the polls Tuesday.

About 20,000 residents took advantage of the early voting period, which ran from April 9 through Friday. In Boulder City, 2,189 voters turned out; 3,794 residents in Henderson took advantage of the program; early voting polls in Las Vegas drew 12,438; 841 Mesquite residents voted and 705 North Las Vegas residents voted early.

Larry Lomax, Clark County's new registrar of voters, said while the early voting program isn't as crucial during the municipal elections, the numbers are a good indication that the program will be successful during the 2000 federal elections.

"People love it," Lomax said. "What people say is that they wouldn't vote without early voting. We hear that comment all the time."

Lomax said the fact that municipal elections have fewer options on the ballot also expedites the voting process.

Lomax timed residents at early voting polls and found the average time to complete the form was 30 seconds, compared to the 5 minutes it took people to vote during November's federal election.

As for his office, Lomax said because he has the same staff as former registrar Kathryn Ferguson he expects an uneventful election night.

"Things are going perfectly," he said.