Voter turnout projected at 60 percent, despite heavy campaigning

By Cy Ryan

Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY — Despite the heavy spending and the flood of television commercials, Secretary of State Ross Miller is predicting a voter turnout of 60 percent this election.

Early voting starts today, and Miller’s forecast is only slightly higher than in past non-presidential years.

“I’m hopeful it will be higher, but looking at past off-presidential years, it’s difficult to get people to vote,” he said.

The 60 percent estimate is slightly higher than the turnout in 2006, which was 59.1 percent, and 2002, when turnout was 58.9 percent. Those were both non-presidential years.

In the 2008 presidential year, the turnout was 80.2 percent; in 2004, it was 77.4 percent.

Miller, Nevada’s chief election officer, said he expects a heavy turnout in early voting as candidates launch drives to get out voters.

Final registration figures issued by Miller’s office show Democrats have 470,919 active voters compared to 410,811 Republicans. The total of non-partisan active voters is 175,094 followed by 48,997 Independent Americans. The rest is divided among minor parties.

Only Clark and Mineral counties have a majority of Democrats. In Clark County, Democrats outnumber Republicans 335,641 to 243,978.