Democrats gain ground on Republicans in voter registration

Of the 547,533 Southern Nevada residents eligible to vote, 243,746 are Democrats. That's about 31,000 more than the 212,618 registered Republicans. For the 1996 primaries, Democrats held an edge of 25,000.

Residents have until Oct. 3 to register for the Nov. 3 general election, but last Saturday was the deadline for the primaries.

The Democrats retain a commanding lead of nearly 40,000 voters over Republicans in Nevada's 1st Congressional District, which includes portions of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson.

Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., who is in his second term as the district's representative, is vying this fall for the seat held by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. Nevada Board of Regents member Shelley Berkley, a Democrat, is viewed by political observers as the front-runner for the congressional seat.

County Republicans, however, hold an edge of about 9,000 voters over Democrats in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes the remainder of the state. With no Democratic opposition, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., is considered a shoo-in to be re-elected to his second term in that district.

Democrats hold an advantage in five of the county's eight state Senate districts and in 19 of the 26 Assembly districts.

Republicans hold a 12-9 edge in the Senate, but are particularly vulnerable in Southern Nevada's District 7. Incumbent GOP Sen. Kathy Augustine is running instead for state controller.

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