Nevada Democrats, Republicans make push on Voter Registration Day

Dozens of clipboard-wielding volunteers fanned out across the Las Vegas Valley on Tuesday to encourage people to register for the upcoming elections as part of National Voter Registration Day.

About 50 Democratic volunteers, including members of 2020 presidential campaigns and the state party, gathered at Clark County Democratic Party Chair Donna West’s home Tuesday morning for a quick meeting before descending on college campuses, grocery stores and anywhere else.

Nevada Democratic Party Chairman and Assemblyman William McCurdy II and Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, both D-Las Vegas, addressed the group, which stretched across West’s driveway and into the street.

Frierson stressed the importance of both voter registration and getting out the vote, noting that he lost re-election in 2014 by just 40 votes as Republicans surged due to a dismal Democratic turnout.

He said he started his first campaign out of a garage in 2003, saying grassroots organizing and knocking on doors are “where the rubber meets the road” in terms of electing Democrats.

On the Republican side, several organizers gathered at UNLV as part of a statewide effort to increase registration this summer.

Spokesman Keith Schipper said the party has seen “a surge of new registrants” this week as rumors of a possible House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump swirled.

“We can see how fired up our base is about this,” Schipper said.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the formal announcement of an impeachment inquiry Tuesday afternoon.

Schipper said the party does not share exact figures, but he expects statewide Republican registrations to double this week compared to any other week in the young 2020 election cycle.

Overall, the party has seen a 35 percent increase in registrants compared to this time in 2017, Schipper said.

The League of Women voters, one of the largest nonpartisan groups participating in the registration holiday, also held a voter registration event Tuesday evening at the College of Southern Nevada’s North Las Vegas campus.

Currently, Democrats account for 38 percent of all active registered voters in the state, Republicans hold 33 percent and nonpartisans are at 22 percent.

In real numbers, there are 73,392 more active registered Democrats than Republicans.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.