Nevada voters may number 1 million for 2004 election

Friday, Dec. 19, 2003 | 9:43 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- After a decline in voter registration in the last two elections, Secretary of State Dean Heller says the number of people who register could reach 1 million for the first time in the 2004 election.

Heller reported Thursday there are 909,948 registered voters in the state.

"As we enter the new year, with the stakes both nationally and in Nevada high, I believe hitting the million mark in terms of voter registration is a very realistic goal," Heller said.

The number of people registered for the 1998 general election was 897,899. That fell to 874,859 in 2000 and dropped to 869,859 in 2002.

In the last presidential election in 2000, 70 percent of the voters went to the polls.

"In a presidential election year, not to mention the battle for control of the state Assembly and Senate, this campaign season may indeed belong to the party that does the best job of getting potential voters registered and to the polls," Heller said.

A drive is under way in Nevada by the Public Interest Research Group and the George Washington Graduate School of Political Management to register 20,000 18- to 24-year-old voters in Nevada.

Statewide, Republicans number 375,529 compared with 367,299 Democrats; 138,757 nonpartisan; 17,592 Independent American; 5,178 Libertarian; 2,695 Green; 961 Natural Law; 196 Reform; and 1,741 other.

Only three of the 17 counties have a majority of Democrats. Clark County has 258,374 Democrats compared with 225,305 Republican and 92,486 nonpartisan. The other counties with majority Democratic registration are Mineral and White Pine.

The 1st Congressional District, represented by Democrat Shelley Berkley, has 116,138 Democrats, 81,258 Republicans and 36,866 nonpartisan voters, Heller said.

The 2nd Congressional District, represented by Republican Jim Gibbons, has 156,598 Republicans, 115,356 Democrats and 49,107 nonpartisan.

The 3rd Congressional District, represented by Republican Jon Porter, has 137,618 Republicans and 135,783 Democrats with 52,764 nonpartisan.