Bad News For Dems Out of Nevada As GOP Takes Edge With ‘Unprecedented’ Early Voting Ballot Turnout

(Sipa via AP Images)

Republicans in the battleground state of Nevada took a state-wide early voter turnout lead over Democrats on Monday of 5.3 percent, according to a state elections report, with Republicans casting 32,000 more early votes than Democrats and at least half of the 700,000 ballots now in.

Nevada Independent editor Jon Ralston credited this substantial turnout lead to strong Republican response in rural areas and less enthusiastic Democratic returns in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located.

The dominance is notable enough that Ralston commented, “This is a unicorn year. We have never seen this.”

Ralston noted that, if current figures are anything to go by, the traditional “Dem firewall” in Clark County has “all but evaporated.” This is in stark contrast to the overwhelming rural margins Republicans are seeing, where 37,000 ballots have been returned.

The unusual slow-down in Clark County mail ballots has raised questions. Only 5,000 mail ballots were processed Monday, bringing the county’s total to 234,000 — just half of the 2020 numbers.

“Still a lot of time,” the journalist concluded, “but Republicans have reason for confidence with this unprecedented turnout pattern.”