Early voting numbers stay slow

By Jeremy Twitchell

Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008 | 11:12 a.m.

The first 11 days of early primary voting in Clark County drew almost 34,000 voters to the polls, representing about 3.3 percent of the county’s registered voters.

Clark County election officials have attributed the low turnout to the lack of a high-profile race in the primary season.

“It’s much lower than we’ve seen in past years and it’s lower than what I expected,” Clark County Registrar Larry Lomax said. “There just doesn’t seem to be anything on this ballot that interests voters.”

Lomax said the rule of thumb for predicting early voting turnout is 25 percent, give or take a few points. The gubernatorial race and some close congressional races drove early voting turnout to 27 percent in 2006, he said.

“There was a lot that captured voter attention two years ago,” Lomax said. “This time, there’s just not.”

He said the current races have a lot of judges and, while they are important races, they generally don’t attract much voter attention.

Henderson’s Galleria at Sunset mall has been the most popular site in the early voting cycle, drawing 3,700 voters in the first 11 days of the early voting period, which began July 26.

Though the Galleria is the most popular permanent site, the majority of votes have been cast at the 13 mobile voting centers, which have moved around grocery stores, shopping centers, libraries and community centers throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

Early voting will conclude Aug. 8.

Henderson voters interested in participating have three local locations where they can cast a vote in the final two days: Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Road; Vons, Horizon Drive and Horizon Ridge Parkway; and MacDonald Ranch Community Center, 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway.

The regular primary election will be held Aug. 12. Though it is too late to register to vote in the primary, voters may still register to vote in the November general election online at www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/election or at a voter registration drive until Oct. 4.

From Oct. 4 through 14, voters will have to register in person at the Clark County Election Department. Early voting for the general election will be Oct. 18-31.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or [email protected].