Voter registration on the rise in Nevada

Nevada added more than 72,000 new voters to its books between January and August, outpacing registration in past midterm election years, according to data from the Nevada Secretary of State’s office.

Those numbers outpace new voter registration between January and October 2014 – the close of the registration period for the cycle – when the state added 61,619 new voters.

As for 2018, Democrats are only slightly outpacing Republicans in new voter registration. According to the data, more than 25,000 new voters registered as Democrats, while a little more than 23,000 registered with the GOP. 

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Republican strategist Evan Seigfried highlighted some of the data on Twitter Friday. 

New voter registrations in Nevada Jan through August:

•72,619 new voters. Up 15% from 2014 & up 37% from 2010
•For every new GOP voter 18-34, Dems added two 18-34
•Dems 18-34 outnumber GOP 18-34 by 74,791
•Dems & GOP saw almost same increase this year https://t.co/VgdeNMCHiZ pic.twitter.com/GE4EnFfGct

— Evan Siegfried (@evansiegfried) September 28, 2018

Nevada is home to one of the most competitive Senate races of the 2018 midterm elections.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) is fighting off an aggressive challenge from Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and is considered by many political observers to be the most vulnerable Senate Republican up for re-election this year.

Heller is the only Senate Republican seeking a new term in office this year in a state won by Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The voter participation typically drops off in non-presidential election years. But the Nevada registration numbers are the latest signal of voter energy in 2018. 

Republicans tend to turn out in higher numbers in midterm election years. But millions more Democrats cast their ballots in primary elections this year, energized in part by deep dissatisfaction with President Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress, an analysis by The Hill revealed earlier this month.

Republicans, however, have also voted in higher numbers this year, according to the analysis.

Leaders from both parties have played up the consequences of the 2018 midterm elections, with officials on both sides casting Election Day as a referendum, not only on Trump, but on the direction of the country.