Mirroring what's happening in other parts of the country (North Carolina, Georgia), early voting in Nevada yesterday started with a record turnout by voters.
In Clark County, a total of 25,105 people cast their vote on the first day of early voting. That's up from the previous record in 2004 of 14,207 votes cast on the first day of early voting (Las Vegas Sun, Clark County Election Dept).
Turnout was also at a record high in Carson City where a total of 1,198 turned out to vote compared to 813 on the first day of early voting four years ago (Nevada Appeal).
While there has been an increase in voter registraton statewide, Carson City Clerk-Alan Glover noted a difference in Nevada's capital:
"Yes, we will absolutely have a record number (of voters) today," Glover said. "But the number of registered voters is down from four years ago.
"But I think we will have more people turn out (for this election)."
Long lines also formed elsewhere in the Silver State. In Minden voters had to wait in line at the CVIC Hall to cast their vote and a total of 1,174 did so in all of Douglas County yesterday (Record-Courier, Douglas County Clerk-Treasurer).
In Washoe County extra voting machines had to be brought in to at least one early voting location and a total of 6,125 people voted as of 5pm yesterday (Reno Gazette-Journal).
An interesting, if totally unscientific, poll the Las Vegas Sun conducted in Clark County and Carson City yesterday revealed:
The Sun interviewed 72 voters at five early voting sites across Southern Nevada and one in Carson City. Sixty one of the 72 said they had voted for Obama.
The Illinois senator’s supporters cited the economy as their No. 1 issue, while also expressing fatigue with the Bush administration.
Voters who said they cast ballots for Republican Sen. John McCain cited taxes and suspicions about Obama raised by the McCain campaign in recent weeks.
Yup, 61 of 72. Quite amazing. And of those voting in CD3, 17 out of 25 voted for Dina Titus.
One final quote from the LV Sun:
Election workers said they arrived to long lines in the morning. At Vons in Summerlin, for instance, a line had formed an hour before the polls opened at 8 a.m.
"It’s never like this," said Monica Conteduca of the Clark County Election Department. "Usually we’re looking for voters."
Yeah, not this year.
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Cross posted from My Silver State.