2024 elections in Nevada: Here’s what to know

There’s a lot going on in 2024 in Nevada, from the presidential primary to the GOP caucus, then to the June primary to the November election.

With so many elections and processes, it’s bound to be a little confusing. Here is a rundown of some things to know for next year.

Primary vs. Caucus

First, if you’re a Republican, you’ll get a ballot in the mail for the state-run primary sometime in January. But some big names won’t be on it, like Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Instead, in order for your vote to count, you’ll have to participate in the Nevada Republican Party’s First in the West Caucus, which is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024.

The state-run primary on Feb. 6, 2024 — just five days before the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — will largely be symbolic for Republicans, as the Nevada GOP ultimately decides which election nomination process holds the most weight. In order for candidates to win delegates who will go to the Republican National Convention in May 2024, they must participate in the caucus.

If you’re a Democrat, you can participate in the state-run presidential preference primary. The candidate options include incumbent Joe Biden and author Marianne Williamson. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who originally was running for president as a Democrat, has switched to an independent, so he will appear on the general ballot in November 2024.

Early voting begins Saturday, Jan. 27 and runs through Friday, Feb. 2. You’ll receive a mail ballot for your party’s candidate options, unless you opt out of receiving a mail ballot.

How will the caucus work?

The caucus will start at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 for all 17 counties, and locations will be held by precinct throughout the state.

Caucus participants will cast a presidential preference poll vote, and results will be tabulated by precinct, and they will be finalized and released to the public that day, according to the Nevada Republican Party’s plans.

Precincts will nominate delegates, and in May Republicans at the state convention will elect national delegates who will go to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July 2024.

How do I participate in the caucus?

You must be a registered Republican to participate and must show a government-issued ID at the precinct locations. The locations where the caucus will take place will be published by the Nevada GOP no later than Nov. 30.

How is the caucus paid for?

Because it will be run by a political party, the caucus will not be paid for with taxpayer money, like the primary is. Instead, presidential candidates must pay $55,000 — or $35,000 if they agree to do an event with the Nevada GOP — to enter the primary. Those funds will be used to administer the caucus.

What should you as a voter be doing ahead of the primary and caucus?

Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said the most important thing voters can do right now is check their voter registration status.

Mark Wlaschin, deputy secretary of state for elections, encourages all voters to update their voter registration with their email address and phone number. About 60 percent of voters have a phone number listed. If an election official has a question about a person’s ballot during the tabulation process, they can only get in touch with the voter through mail, which could risk not completing the tabulation in time, according to Wlaschin.

What’s the difference between the February primary and the June primary?

The February primary is strictly to vote for a U.S. presidential candidate, while the June 11 primary is for other races, including local, state and federal races such as the Senate and House of Representatives.

Important dates:

Presidential Preference Primary: Feb. 6, 2024

Early voting for PPP: Jan. 27 to Feb. 2

Republican caucus: Feb. 8

June Primary: June 11

Early voting for June primary: May 25 to June 7

General election: Nov. 5

Early voting for general election: Oct. 19 to Nov. 1

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.