Election 2024: In Las Vegas, Republicans jubilant, Democrats anguished — BLOG
12:37 a.m.
Clark County counting continues
Clark County spokeswoman Stephanie Wheatley said the county expects to release another batch of election results at about 1:30 am.
The initial returns last updated at 12:25 a.m. accounted for 914,140 ballots from early voting, mail voting and Election Day voting, or 62.2 percent of the county’s registered voters.
This concludes our Election Day blog. Please check lvrj.com for further updates as more ballots come in.
— Mark Bowder
12:14 a.m.
Rosen confident she will win
Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen expressed confidence that she will win the Senate race — where she is currently trailing Republican Sam Brown by 0.8 percentage points — when all the votes are counted.
“We are not letting up now. Not now. We’re going to win this race,” Rosen said after midnight, receiving “Jacky” chants from the crowd at the Aria.
Rosen highlighted the thousands of ballots that haven’t been counted yet, and the ballots that need signature cures.
“These votes deserve to be counted,” she said. The senator encouraged supporters to knock on doors and make calls to help get ballots cured.
— Jessica Hill
11:31 p.m.
Horsford declares victory
Rep. Steven Horsford declared his re-election win Tuesday night, though AP hadn’t called it as of 11:27 p.m.
Horsford pledged to work to lower rent and take on corporate landlords to hold them accountable.
“Let’s keep moving forward together, and let’s keep working to build up Nevada, because we are the best example of America,” he said.
Despite multiple news outlets calling the race for Trump, Horsford said he remains confident Nevada will deliver its votes for Harris.
— Jessica Hill
11:00 p.m.
Democratic watch party on Las Vegas Strip fizzles out
The Democratic watch party at the Aria was nearly empty as news outlets began to call the race for Trump. One woman cried and was escorted out, and a few minutes later a man threw his glass and stormed out.
— Jessica Hill
11 p.m.
Sam Brown: ‘A lot to celebrate tonight’
U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown, the Republican who is looking to unseat Jacky Rosen, Nevada’s Democratic U.S. senator, Jacky Rosen, took the stage to chants of “fight.”
“I don’t know if you’ve heard but President Trump’s going back to the White House,” he said.
“And you’re ahead,” an attendee shouted back.
“And we’re ahead, you are ahead,” Brown responded.
He cited Bible verses and spoke about his serious injuries suffered in war.
“I would not be here on this stage but for God,” Brown said. “We’ve got a lot to celebrate tonight, a lot to celebrate.”
Brown announced he had a special guest and brought on the fellow veteran he said saved his life.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
10:22 p.m.
Jubilation at Sam Brown watch party
Pandemonium breaks out at Sam Brown’s Election night party when Fox News calls Pennsylvania for Trump. A man carried another supporter and paraded him in the ballroom. Other supporters gathered in front of the cameras and cheered on the news they received, flanking a Trump flag.
Fox News calls Pennsylvania for Trump and this is the reaction from @CaptainSamBrown's watch party #RJNow 'no more wars, no more wars, we're down with wars' shouts a Republican supporter pic.twitter.com/2wUx6CmMrx
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez (@rickytwrites) November 6, 2024
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
10:11 p.m.
Nevada election results start to come in
Initial results are beginning to come in from Nevada.
According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office, the state’s last in-person voter cast their ballot and all polls have closed as of about 9:45 p.m.
Initial results began to post online at 9:55 p.m. See the latest election results at lvrj.com/results.
“Nevada is a battleground state, and we will continue updating unofficial results as the counties receive and cure additional ballots,” Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar said in a statement.
— Brett Clarkson
10:05 p.m.
Images of initial numbers from the Nevada presidential race flash at Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown’s watch party, showing Trump ahead.
The jubilant crowd cheers to shouts of “we won” and “it’s over.”
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
9:48 p.m
Sam Brown campaign watch party
The campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown organized a modest Election Night watch party at Red Rock Resort and Casino. Several dozen attendees gathered around tables, chatted and listened to music. A podium was set in the middle of the ballroom. Brown hadn’t spoken publicly. A group of people gathered around the television observing election results.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
9:35 p.m.
Nye County results expected around midnight
After the doors closed to the Bob Ruud Community Center in Pahrump, the last dozen voters would shift from the regular voter line to the provisional line. It wasn’t until 9:32 p.m. that Dessa Stroad, 76, cast her ballot, making her the last voter in the county.
Nye County Clerk Cori Friedhof still has to collect all the boxes and a Nye County Sheriff’s deputy has to drive them to Tonopah’s office to start the count. The drive is two and a half hours to get there and Nye County will likely not have results until midnight.
There were also reports that Nye County ran out of paper ballots, but Friedhof said she ordered 5,000 ballots and only roughly 2,000 residents voted today.
— Jimmy Romo
9:20 p.m.
‘Make America kind again’
A few hundred people with Make the Road Nevada filed into the Nevada Democratic watch party Tuesday night chanting “Sí se puede,” or “yes we can,” increasing the energy of the watch party that had been relatively quiet before.
Fatima Mou, a Las Vegas resident, stood by the stage listening to Nevada State Democratic Party Chairwoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno speak, her hands clasped together as though in prayer.
Hundreds of people filed in with Make the Road Nevada to the NV Dems watch party, definitely giving it a higher energy. pic.twitter.com/C5gCWhMGEE
— Jessica Hill (@jess_hillyeah) November 6, 2024
Mou said she was worried when results began to come in showing Trump in the lead.
“But I feel we will do it because my daughter said to me, ‘mommy don’t worry. She will do it. She can,’” Mou said.
“We believe in her,” Mou said. “I believe she will make America kind again because we need to be kind with each other.”
— Jessica Hill
9:17 p.m.
Voting has finished in Clark County
The last person had voted at a Clark County polling place by about 9 p.m., said Stephanie Wheatley with the Clark County Election Department.
Early results can’t be released until all voters in line at polling places across the state have had a chance to vote.
— Mary Hynes
8:54 p.m.
First ballots in to Election Department
At about 8:30 p.m., the first ballots from Election Day in Clark County arrived to cheers at the Clark County Election Department warehouse in North Las Vegas where they would be counted.
These included mail ballots that were dropped off as well as hard drives with the ballots of in-person voters.
More than 182,000 in-person ballots had been cast in person on Election Day in the county. Only 70 of Clark County’s 137 voting sites had closed. Under state law, all voters in line by 7 p.m. are allowed to vote, no matter how long it takes.
– Mary Hynes
8:40 p.m.
Positive and hopeful attitudes
Colette Phair, sporting a lime green mini skirt and a neon green Kamala T-shirt at the Democratic watch party at the Aria, said people are bringing positive and hopeful attitudes, and she is trying to stay in that place.
“Hopefully we make history tonight,” Phair said.
The Henderson resident said she cares most about climate change and highlighted the urgency to curb it.
“This administration overlaps with what 90 percent of climate scientists are saying is this really important environmental window, and yet we’re seeing half of America just pretending it’s not real,” she said. “It’s almost like gaslighting.”
— Jessica Hill
8:22 p.m.
Lombardo: ‘It looks good’
An upbeat Gov. Joe Lombardo takes the stage at the Nevada GOP watch party at Ahern hotel.
“Are the numbers looking good,” he asked the crowd rhetorically. “It looks good, it looks good,” he added.
Lombardo touted Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald’s efforts to draw Republican voters.
“I think it’s important for you to realize that all the naysayers say we don’t have a good relationship,” Lombardo said about McDonald. “It can’t be further from the truth.”
He said Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar assured him that everyone who hasn’t voted — and who was in line by the time polls close — will be able to cast a ballot.
“Tomorrow we’re going to continue to celebrate,” said Lombardo, concluding his remarks.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
8:15 p.m.
First time voting, last one out
Doors have shut an hour after polls closed in Nevada at Mountain’s Edge Regional Park. Inside, cheers from poll workers could be heard celebrating the end of the night.
Aiden Grobl got in line for voting at 6:50 p.m. and was one of the last to walk out of the voting center. Grobl dressed for a day at the beach in board shorts and a tank top in the chilly fall weather.
At 19, this was Grobl‘s first time voting. He chose in person, because he was late to register, saying, “I forgot, pretty much.”
“It was cool, it was a lot different than I thought,” said Grobl. “I thought you had a paper and you had to write everything down, but it was all busted touchpads.”
—Emerson Drewes
8:00 p.m.
The drive to Tonopah
Rebecca Keogh is the last person in line to vote in Pahrump. Once Keogh casts her ballot, the Nye County Clerk and a Nye County Sheriff’s deputy will drive two and a half hours to Tonopah to begin the count.
The reason is because former Nye County Clerk Mark F. Kampf tried it and there was not enough space. Tonopah’s office has the capacity to process the paper ballots and organize them thanks to a half a million dollar machine that the Nevada Secretary of State’s office gave to Nye County.
Nevada will not begin to see Nye County results until 11:30 p.m. at the latest.
— Jimmy Romo
7:45 p.m.
Nevada Republicans hopeful
Shortly after Fox News called Iowa for Trump and the crowd erupted, Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, who is a close Trump advisor, said he was “cautiously optimistic” the former president would win Nevada.
He touted Trump campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles’ leadership that trickled down to Nevada.
“We united the Republican Party, we united people across sections, people who were never involved in Republican politics,” McDonald told the Review-Journal.
He said voters in Nevada Republican-leaning counties were still voting.
“They’re staying in line, they’re not leaving, they’re making sure they vote,” McDonald said. “It’s a big day for us.”
McDonald said he’d spoken to Trump earlier in the day.
“He’s doing well, he’s probably even better now since we’ve been here,” he said. “Everything is coming in for us.”
— Ricardo Torres-Cortes
7:45 p.m.
Over 300 still in line to vote
In Nye County, the last person is waiting in line and will likely cast their ballot around 9 p.m. The county’s voter turnout was at 77 percent, which tops the 2020 general election’s voter turnout of 74.5 percent.
There are currently 1,827 votes cast today and over 300 people still in line to vote.
— Jimmy Romo
7:40 p.m.
‘My first time ever having to wait this long to vote’
Donna Brown, 46, said she waited an hour and a half to vote at Henderson’s Galleria at Sunset mall.
“I’m from Florida,” Brown said. “Our times are way faster than this, and we have a lot more voting stations.”
Brown said she thought that because schools were closed today, they would be used as polling sites.
“I’ve never waited in line this long, and it’s cold out here,” said Brown, who spent most of the wait outdoors. “It wasn’t horrible, but this is my first time ever having to wait this long to vote.”
But Brown said she was happy she stayed. “I almost went back to the car and said ‘forget it, I’ll send prayers,’ but I decided to wait it out so I’m glad that I did,” she said.
— Estelle Atkinson
7:26 p.m.
A ‘Hail Mary’
Sherri Aviles was among the last few people in line to vote at the Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson.
“Honestly, this was like a Hail Mary for me,” Aviles said. “I wasn’t going to vote.”
Aviles said she was out to dinner with her 15-year-old daughter when she changed her mind.
“I just decided that it was important that I came down.”
Aviles said she had not been happy about either candidate. But she had a “last minute conversation with myself” and decided to vote. A big part of her decision was having a young daughter, she said.
— Estelle Atkinson
7:25 p.m.
California too ‘woke’ for Trump voter
Thomas Wilson wore a dark suit, an American flag as a cape and a realistic-looking Trump mask.
“We’re going to win big,” he said.
Wilson said he moved to Las Vegas about a year ago, escaping California which he said was crime ridden, more expensive and “woke.”
“We need God and we need Trump,” he added.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
7:20 p.m.
Democratic state lawmaker sees nonpartisan voters as favoring Harris
“We’re very excited of course that the polls are about to close here in Nevada,” said Nevada Sen. Fabian Doñate, D-Las Vegas, at the Democratic watch party at the Aria, just before the polls closed in Nevada at 7 p.m.
Doñate, chair of the Latino caucus, said he has heard reports of long lines with about three-hour waits on the east side, a heavily Latino dense neighborhood.
“We’ve seen the Latino vote come out as expected, and so in the next coming days, we want to see what that means,” he said.
The state senator said he is not concerned about the early voting turnout for Republicans, as he thinks the nonpartisan voting bloc will skew toward Harris and Democrats.
“I’m not worried at all,” he said. “If anything, it just cements that we have to put in the work, and we have to make sure that voters are engaged. That’s kind of what we’re looking to do within the next few days.”
— Jessica Hill
7:15 p.m.
Late to the polls
Sherri O’Boyle, 52, arrived at Desert Breeze Park fifteen minutes late. She wanted to drop off her ballot but was told by an election worker to drop it off at a post office instead.
“Nobody is above the law, not even the president,” Sherri said. She cited abortion as a major reason why she voted for Harris.
— Annie Vong
6:55 p.m.
Two-hour wait at Desert Breeze Park
At Desert Breeze Park in west Las Vegas, Ivan Arrieta, 25, voted for the first time after waiting in line for two hours.
“Most of the issues don’t pertain to me, but I have friends and a girlfriend,” Arrieta said. “I want to look out for them.”
Arrieta voted for Harris, he said.
— Annie Vong
7:12 p.m.
Better economy
Loet Laus posed for a selfie with their “I Voted” at the polls at Mountain’s Edge Regional Park. They waited for an hour and a half.
“Just a better economy,” said Laus on what drove them to cast their vote.
—Emerson Drewes
7:15 p.m.
‘One the verge of World War III’
Voting was quick at Allegiant Stadium, where several people said it took them just 20 minutes.
Aron Berhane said he voted for former President Donald Trump because of the economy and the fact that “we’re on the verge of World War III.”
It was Berhane’s first time voting for Trump, but he thought that a vote for Democrats would be a continuation of the same sort of policies, and that things were not going well at the moment.
— Katie Futterman
7:08 p.m.
Abortion issue changes couple’s vote
Jose and Mary Villa were going to vote for former president Donald Trump until this past weekend, when they switched course to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mary Villa’s brother-in-law, who she said pays closer attention to politics, told her she should reconsider.
“Are you sure?” Jose Villa recalled him asking. “You’ve got two little girls, think about your little girls.”
So after two consecutive elections in which Jose Villa voted for Trump and Mary Villa did not vote at all, the couple decided to vote for Harris for their young daughters.
They said that if Trump had not gotten Roe v. Wade overturned, they would have voted for him.
— Katie Futterman
7:06 p.m.
Republican watch party
A large crowd gathered at Ahern Luxury Boutique Hotel for the Nevada GOP watch party in Las Vegas, near the north Strip.
At the Nevada GOP watch party at the Ahern hotel where the mood is upbeat. It's packed here! #RJNow pic.twitter.com/3KHPtIDxot
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez (@rickytwrites) November 6, 2024
A large screen tuned into Fox News was erected in the middle of a large lobby and hundreds cheered and clapped along.
“There are so many great Republicans in the state of Nevada, and it’s time to take it back and turn it red,’ said Don Ahern, a Trump supporter and donor.
The crowd erupted when Fox called Montana for Trump.
— Ricardo Torres-Cortez
7:04 p.m.
Two hour wait still expected at Galleria at Sunset
Polls are now closed at Henderson’s Galleria at Sunset mall, but the line is still around two hours long, according to Security Supervisor Travis Morin
Morin said there are anywhere between 100 to 250 people still in line, which is the shortest it’s been all day.
— Estelle Atkinson
7 p.m.
Voting sites closed to additional voters
Voting sites have closed in Nevada, though anyone in line at 7 p.m. will still be allowed to cast a ballot.
That aspect of Nevada elections law means the release of initial results could come later than expected; the Nevada secretary of state’s office will not release results until after it has confirmed the last voter in the state has cast their ballot.
Observers in Nye County were reporting possible waits of two to three hours, as a result of a surge of same-day voter registrations. While some sites in Clark County reported wait times of one to two hours at some voting sites as of 6:50 p.m., according to a wait time map maintained the Clark County elections department.
— Mark Bowder
6:59 p.m.
One minute left
The lines show no sign of stopping at Mountain’s Edge Regional Park, with poll workers walking the parking lot, reminding people they only have one minute left.
Polls have officially closed in Nevada, but the line is still holding strong at Mountains Edge Regional Park. pic.twitter.com/st5vPLHRHa
— Emerson Drewes (@EmersonDrewes) November 6, 2024
As cars still file in Trump supporters and MAGA signs flank the entrance. Their signs reading “Trump secure border, Kamala open border” and other common MAGA sentiments. Very few Harris-Walz signs are smattered in between.
— Emerson Drewes
6:54 p.m.
Last in line in Pahrump
As the line is about to close, three last-minute voters jumped in line. Cori Friedhof, the Nye County Clerk, estimated it’ll take two hours for the last voter to get their vote in.
Rebecca Keogh was feeling unwell and attempted to leave the house several times today. She considered not voting, but she wants to hold her right to complain.
There are three voting machines open inside of Bob Ruud community center, but a majority of people vote by paper ballot in Nye County.
— Jimmy Romo
6:33 p.m.
Long waits at Silverado Ranch Community Center
Loiraine Delosreyes, 39, said she waited around an hour and 10 minutes to vote at Silverado Ranch Community Center, which she said is about what she expected.
But voting, she said, “felt great.”
— Estelle Atkinson
6:30 p.m.
Self-appointed ‘observers’ in east Las Vegas
Outside of Nellis Crossing in east Las Vegas sat a group of people in folded chairs in the parking lot who called themselves “observers.” The group said they could not comment on what they were doing, saying only that they were watching the voting center.
At the voting center, the line curved around with people of all ages — even babies in carriers.
Liz Leynes, 26, brought chips and iced tea to keep her busy during her wait, which had already been over an hour. She was around halfway through the line with her sister and niece, who were both voting for the first time. The group also said they were telling jokes to stay busy.
“I’m voting for my family,” Leynes said.
— Katie Futterman
6:27 p.m.
Skip the line by dropping off mail ballot
Sharon Winkelmann skipped the line at Silverado Ranch Community Center by dropping off her mail-in ballot.
“My husband told me I was an idiot for not mailing it sooner,” she said.
Winkelmann said she will be feeling great if anyone who isn’t Trump wins the election.
— Estelle Atkinson
6:15 p.m.
Over 3,500 have voted at Allegiant Stadium
With less than an hour to go until polls close, the line to vote was out the door at Allegiant Stadium, a first-time polling location that Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar coordinated to encourage more people to vote.
Despite the line zigzagging alongside the stadium sidewalk, the wait-time was only 15 minutes, as there were 98 voting machines.
“This is incredible. I love seeing this,” Aguilar told the Review-Journal Tuesday night.
Aguilar said voter turnout at the location exceeded his expectations. More than 3,500 people have voted at the stadium, as of 6:15 p.m., he said.
Voters came with their family, and some people were in line at 5 a.m., Aguilar said.
“If this gets people to turn out, new voters to turn out, it’s pretty incredible,” he said.
— Jessica Hill
6:15 p.m.
Lines at Nellis Crossing
Regardless of the way the election goes, DJ So Hype, known in his daily life as Derrick Reeves, wanted to make sure the vibes were high.
Reeves was working with DJs at the Polls for the first time this year, and had been to several polling sites around the valley on Tuesday.
At Nellis Crossing in east Las Vegas, the music kept people entertained as they lined up in what could be well over an hour wait.
— Katie Futterman
6:14 p.m.
Parking scarce, lines long
Cars circled the parking lot of the Silverado Ranch Community Center looking for spots as a line of voters curved around the entrance to the polling site.
Jenna Lyttle, 27, and Hailey Lopez, 20, both said they were glad they chose to drop off their mail-in ballot, skipping the long waits.
“It’s actually peaceful so far,” Lopez said. “No sides are giving each other problems which I kind of like and was kind of surprised about.”
— Estelle Atkinson
6:10 p.m.
‘Voting is fun’
At Blue Diamond Crossing Center, the line is starting to wrap around itself, but Daniel Booker is spinning records.
Booker is a member of nonprofit DJs at the Polls, which brings DJs to thousands of polling stations across the country. While people stand in line, Booker plays classics like “All Star” by Smash Mouth and others.
“It’s a high stress situation these days,” said Booker. “I thought I’d cool the atmosphere a little bit and remind people that voting is fun.”
—Emerson Drewes
5:40 p.m.
3.5-hour wait to vote in Pahrump
The lines have only gotten longer in Pahrump as the wait time has grown to three and a half hours.
Currently 76 percent of Nye County registered voters have cast their ballot in this election. A total of 1,594 people have voted at the Bob Ruud community center, as it is the only place voters can vote in Pahrump.
Temperatures are expected to drop to 60 degrees in Pahrump by 6 p.m.
— Jimmy Romo
5:11 p.m.
DJ seeks to attract younger voters
As Nye County residents waited in the dark on the sidewalk to vote, a Pahrump Valley High School graduate was playing house and techno music plays on the other side of the sidewalk.
DJs at the Poll is a nonpartisan group that aims to attract younger voters to local polling locations.
“People act like your voice doesn’t matter, but as soon as you stop caring is when it’s a problem,” said Jay Zarabozo, who goes by OzO.
— Jimmy Romo
3:23 p.m.
Free coffee
Las Vegas resident Christa Green left Desert Breeze Community Center with a free coffee after dropping off her ballot. She said she was voting for Kamala Harris — and against Donald Trump.
“It’s the better of two evils. He’s a criminal,” Green said. “Is this the best we’ve got?”
Green said she was also motivated to vote by Democrats’ messaging on abortion rights.
— McKenna Ross
3:15 p.m.
Smooth sailing
Poll worker Steve Pastorino said Election Day voting at Derfelt Elementary School near Durango Drive and Oakey Boulevard has been “super steady, all day.” There have been zero issues and no mishaps. As of 3:15 p.m. there was no wait to cast your ballot.
— Jessica Sterling
2:34 p.m.
Steady line at Desert Breeze
At Desert Breeze Community Center, the line continues to build. It’s been a steady several hundred voters all day, poll watchers and media said.
If anything, the excitement has heightened. The DJ has left, replaced with a mobile coffee car and more campaign groups offering snacks. A Kim Jong Un impersonator eggs people on near the electioneering line.
— McKenna Ross
2:28 p.m.
Wasn’t going to vote
In a last-minute decision, a new Pahrump resident joined the line to vote in the General Election.
“I was one of those people that didn’t want to vote,” said Jasmine Moses, a recent Nye County resident. “Then I realized that either way it goes, they’re going to vote for me.”
But Moses sure wished she had remembered her mail-in ballot so she wouldn’t have to wait in the long line.
— Jimmy Romo
2:20 p.m.
High voter turnout out in Nye County
Nye County residents in Pahrump flocked to their local community center to cast their ballot on Election Day. As of 2 p.m. 70 percent of voters have cast their votes via early, mail-in and Election Day ballots. Voters are currently experiencing wait times as long as an hour and a half.
— Jimmy Romo
1:48 p.m.
Capping off her visit
Anne Apodaca, 42, of Las Vegas, arrived at the Allegiant Stadium polling place in Las Vegas to vote, dressed head to toe in red, including a Make America Great Again cap. A poll worker asked her to remove it before coming in.
Apodaca asked why and removed the hat after hearing about the state law. The poll worker told her that she could put it back on when she walked out, which she did. The single mom of a 3-year-old said everyone was very nice.
— Kevin Cannon
12:45 p.m.
Long wait times
It’s a snail race in east Las Vegas at the Nellis Crossing Shopping Center, where wait times are standing at 40 minutes as of 12:45 p.m.
A handful of reporters and advocates hanging behind the bright-green electioneering line in the parking lot, including a pro-Trump volunteer in full MAGA gear, encouraging people to vote red.
An anchor from Telemundo filmed a Spanish-language segment outside the polling station, noting that Nevada and Las Vegas could be critically important in determining the balance of the election.
— Alan Halaly
12:30 p.m.
Preparing for tabulation
At the Clark County Election Department in North Las Vegas, all was quiet as poll workers arrived and security mingled by the warehouse docks. At the front of the building, poll observers were first directed to a screening area, where a metal detector was set up and a training video warning against phone use played. Partitions hid the ballot counting area from unauthorized viewing.
Outside, drivers periodically pulled up to the ballot dropbox.
— McKenna Ross
11:08 a.m.
Beatty ‘smooth’
Beatty poll worker Wanda Barnhardt said, “It’s going as smooth as smooth can be.” She said voting was going smoother than in the past, that the new equipment they are using is “more compact and user friendly.”
— Richard Stephens
10:39 a.m.
Tuned in to vote
A home owner across the street from the Mountain’s Edge Regional Park polling site in the southwest Las Vegas Valley took it into their own hands to make the occasion a patriotic one for those in line.
Various songs including “Proud to be an American” and “God Bless America” could be heard blasting from a portable speaker placed on the backyard wall of the home, located in the Collina development.
Those in line waiting in line to cast their vote would likely hear several of the tunes, as the waiting time was listed as 50 minutes on Clark County’s voter center website.
— Mick Akers
10:30 a.m.
‘Concerned’ about election
Las Vegas resident Scott Meineke dropped off his ballot at Henry Bozarth Elementary School in northwest Las Vegas, avoiding a line that snaked out the door with a roughly half hour-long wait.
Meineke said he felt “concerned” about the election because he believed there was cheating involved in the 2020 general election. But he felt the removal of deceased people from voter rolls could help this year. He also said he supports proposal 7, the amendment that would require ID when voting.
“What do I have to see (to feel the election is secure)? That the voter rolls are cleaned out and they I really believe in the amendment where you need to use your driver’s license to vote,” Meineke said.
— McKenna Ross
10:30 a.m.
‘Get out and vote’
Traveling around the Las Vegas Valley on Tuesday was David Munger, a staunch Republican attempting to get voters to sign a petition for a chance to win $1 million from Elon Musk’s political action committee.
“It compels people to get out and vote here on the last day,” Munger said, donning a Make America Great Again hat near a line outside of Whitney Recreation Center.
A judge ruled Monday that Musk’s effort to surge voting in swing states like Nevada was lawful. The petition is in support of First and Second Amendment rights, Munger said.
Munger has always supported Republicans, but pointed to inflation and high costs as a major reason voters are turning out for Trump this year.
“I’m not thin because I want to be; I’m so angry about grocery prices,” he said. “It’s really absurd.”
—Alan Halaly
10 a.m.
Cheering on voters
Voters at Allegiant Stadium could get photos with Raiderettes cheerleaders after casting their ballots.
“I thought it was something unique and memorable,” said Matthew Davis, who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“If you’re going to go vote at Allegiant Stadium, why not ham it up a little?” he added.
— Noble Brigham
9:45 a.m.
Cost is too high
The line is thinning out outside the Whitney Recreation Center as the morning rush subsides, but the music is pumping as a DJ plays electronic music to keep voters entertained and a volunteer passes out Welch’s fruit snacks.
Two Latino voters from Las Vegas, 21-year-old Carlos Alvarez and 29-year-old Daniel Martinez both proudly cast their vote for Donald Trump Tuesday morning.
Both cited rising costs of living as a major election issue this cycle.
“I really don’t pay attention to many issues,” said Alvarez, a first-time voter. “But the cost of everything is too high.”
Martinez said he voted for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson in 2016, but Trump has since won his vote without question.
Trump’s continued, vocal support for the Christian faith was what made him stand out for many Latino voters, he said.
“Kamala is straight up blaspheming against Jesus and Christianity, especially Catholicism, while Trump was straight up saying ‘Christ is king,’” Martinez said. “But I really wasn’t ever going to vote for Kamala.”
— Alan Halaly
9:30 a.m.
Rosen votes
US Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) cast her vote at Allegiant Stadium around 9 a.m.
After voting, she attacked her opponent, Sam Brown, calling him “a MAGA stubborn extremist who moved here from Texas, a failed politician who is anti-choice, didn’t believe that Trump lost the last election, wants to take away your healthcare, will vote for a nationwide abortion ban, eliminate the Department of Education, oh, and by the way, would like to restart Yucca Mountain.”
Rosen also encouraged people to vote. “Your vote is your voice,” she said.
— Noble Brigham
9:25 a.m.
Excited to vote
Eighteen-year-old Aiden Ruiz dropped his ballot off at Thunderbird Family Sports Complex in northwest Las Vegas, a process he said was quick. He then went to change into a shirt to support the campaign of his mother — Lydia Dominguez — for Clark County School District trustee.
He said he wanted to see change to Republican leadership in Donald Trump.
“I’m in the food industry, so (I’m excited for) no taxes on tips,” Ruiz said.
— McKenna Ross
8:58 a.m.
DJs at the polls
A line of about 150 people stretched from the door of the voting tent located in the parking lot of the Blue Diamond Crossing shopping center, waiting to cast their vote.
The line started at one end of the parking lot, onto a nearby sidewalk, to near the main driveway for the line of stores located within the complex, located on Blue Diamond Road, just west of Interstate 15.
Those in line were entertained a DJ blaring tunes in the parking lot, as part of the DJs at the Polls initiative. Audible cheers were heard every so often inside the tent, as first time voters carried out their civic duty.
— Mick Akers
8:55 a.m.
An international correspondent’s perspective
Harry Chang, an international correspondent for PTS Taiwan, was one of several journalists from foreign outlets interviewing voters at Allegiant Stadium.
He’s covered US elections since 2000 and said it’s a good opportunity to help his viewers understand the American democratic process and what Americans care about.
“I think that can bring more understanding between different countries,” he said.
Compared to other countries, he said American voters are friendlier and more willing to voice their opinions.
This is the closest election he’s seen since 2000, he said.
— Noble Brigham
8:45 a.m.
Support for Trump, but concerns about fraud
As voting got underway at Allegiant Stadium, a number of voters expressed support for former President Donald Trump. Some were also concerned about voter fraud.
“He knows exactly what he stands for and there’s no evading or word salads,” Gretchen Stadheim said. “And he‘s America first.”
Stadheim — who relies on social media to stay informed and said, “news is all propaganda” — is worried about voter fraud and said she believes Trump won in 2020.
Ronnie Hargrove, who wore a Trump hat, also voted for the former president.
“I made more money under Trump,” he said.
Voter fraud is on his mind, too.
“The only way Trump loses is they gotta take it from him,” he said.
People also expressed support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It just comes down to rights for minorities and especially for women’s rights,” said Jed Fontelera.
Trump would create animosity and continue to divide the country, he said.
The election site attracted international media attention. Journalists from the Washington Post, Reuters and outlets in Spain and Taiwan were talking to voters and recording video outside the site.
— Noble Brigham
8:18 a.m.
Low hum of instructions
The inside of the polling place at Desert Breeze Community Center is much quieter than the line formed outside. Outside, there’s music, conversation, candidates accosting approaching voters. Inside is the low hum of instructions from poll workers and the occasional cheer for a first-time voter.
— McKenna Ross
7:50 a.m.
Suspicions high
Outside of the polling location in Whitney Recreation Center, voters stood in a long line to vote. A couple of people said they waited about an hour to vote.
As a reporter stood in the parking lot taking notes and waiting to ask voters how long it took to vote, one woman in line incorrectly assumed the reporter was copying down people’s license plates. An elections worker received the complaint and also questioned the reporter.
— Jessica Hill
7:45 a.m.
‘Come on down’
A steady trickle of voters have made their way in and out of Galleria at Sunset Mall in Henderson without much difficulty.
Imitating a game show announcer, a poll worker at the front of the line is doing his best to keep spirits high.
“Come on down,” he’s repeated with a smile. “You are the next voter in Clark County!”
Election workers cheered and drummed on the table for a handful of first-time voters throughout the morning.
—Alan Halaly
7:30 a.m.
‘Out of my comfort zone’
DJ Tommy Lin mixed together pop hits in the parking lot feet away from the entrance of Desert Breeze Community Center. A DJ of 15 years, he said it was his first time volunteering for DJs at the Polls, a non-partisan get-out-the-vote effort.
“This is out of my comfort zone, but I want to experience something like this,” Lin said. “This is a celebration of democracy.”
— McKenna Ross
7:25 a.m.
Greeting the crowd
Rep. Susie Lee, D-Las Vegas, greets the early voter crowd as they approach Desert Breeze Community Center’s polling site.
Lee said she was excited to “elect the first woman president.” As for her own campaign, she said there was little left to pitch.
“I pretty much thank them for being here,” Lee said. “I figure if they’re already here they’ve made up their mind.”
— McKenna Ross
7:20 a.m.
Smooth process
One of the first voters to cast their ballots at the Silverado Ranch Community Center said the process went smoothly, once the doors opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Karalene Doyen got in line at 6:30 a.m. with her mother, to cast her vote before heading to work. She said waking up earlier than usual was worth the trouble, as the wait she heard for those would just arriving be much longer than she had to endure.
“Definitely get here early so you can get to work five minutes late and not hours and hours late,” Doyen said. “We got here at 6:30 a.m. on the dot and they said it would be a 15-minute wait (once the doors opened). Right now they’re saying it’s going to be a solid three-hour wait if you’re getting in line right now.”
With the presidential race seemingly a tight one heading into Election Day, Doyen said it’s going to be a stressful day waiting on the results.
“I’m going to be sweating,” Doyen said. “We’re planning on going out and watching tonight and planning on being disappointed regardless of the results. But one of them will be a little more disappointing than the other.”
With how contentious the lead up to the election has been, Doyen said she has some slight worries that there might be some unrest, depending on the results.
“Each candidate is going to act childish if they lose,”
Doyen said. “You have to have faith in your fellow humans to not act like children if their candidate doesn’t win. Don’t go out hurting people, it’s just basic humanity.”
— Mick Akers
7:15 a.m.
Different choices lined up
The polls at Allegiant Stadium have opened and a line of well over 100 voters has been led inside.
Voter Andrew Aragon, who arrived at about 6:05 a.m. said he’d be casting his ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris because of her policies on women’s rights, immigration and education.
He said another Trump presidency would make the country “not safe for anybody: women, people of color, people in the LGBTQ+ community.”
But Justin W. Wilson, a criminal defense and personal injury attorney, said he didn’t like Harris or Trump and would likely vote for Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver.
“Honestly, every choice we’ve got this year is just garbage,” he said.
— Noble Brigham
7:05 a.m.
A huge election
Outside one of entrances of Galleria At Sunset Mall, a group of about 30 voters are confused as they try to enter the locked mall and are herded to another door by an election worker.
Among them was Fallon Cope, a 30-year-old Henderson resident and non-partisan voter who declined to share who she was voting for.
Cope said social media has played a huge role in getting voters to the polls this cycle.
“This is a huge election,” Cope said. “It’s got people scared on both sides.”
—Alan Halaly
7:00 a.m.
Voter guides handed out
As the doors opened at the Silverado Ranch Community Center a line of about 200 people were in line ready to cast their vote. As many of the Clark County residents walked from the parking lot toward the facility, a man, decked out in red and donning an Trump hat, approached the majority of them, looking to hand out Republican voter guides.
— Mick Akers
6:58 a.m.
Lines form early
With a couple minutes before polls open, about a hundred people queue in a snaked line at Desert Breeze Community Center. Poll workers say they heard Friday was busy at this location, as well.
— McKenna Ross
6:30 a.m.
Exercise your right
More than 25 people had lined up to vote at Allegiant Stadium half an hour before polls opened.
Ryan Hunt, the first man in line, said he got to the site at 5 a.m.
“There’s no more important time to exercise your right to vote than this election,” he said.
Hunt plans to vote for Trump for the third time. He’s a retired Army officer and said the country needs “dynamic change.”
Ryan Hunt, the first man in line at Allegiant, plans to vote for former President Donald Trump. “There’s no more important time to exercise your right to vote than this election,” he said pic.twitter.com/drwjsRTiOs
— Noble Brigham (@BrighamNoble) November 5, 2024
He said he’s concerned about the economy and foreign policy. Compared to Biden, “I feel like he was a lot stronger for sure,” Hunt said of Trump.
— Noble Brigham
6 a.m.
Welcome to Election Day
It’s Election Day, voters’ last chance to cast a ballot.
The nation’s eyes are trained on the battleground state of Nevada, which could swing the election for president of the United States with its six Electoral College votes.
But there are many more races and questions down the ballot.
Dozens of polling locations across the Las Vegas Valley open at 7 a.m. today, including sites at Allegiant Stadium, Galleria At Sunset and Desert Breeze Community Center.
All locations can be found here. The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s voter guide and election FAQ’s can be found here and here.
Citizens who are in line by closing time at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Anyone who arrives after 7 p.m. will be turned away.
Election offices started counting mail-in ballots last month and will begin tabulating in-person, early voting ballots at 8 a.m.
Nevada allows same-day voter registration. Here is a link to learn what it requires.
Mail-in ballots postmarked Tuesday will be accepted. Initial results are expected to roll out sometime Tuesday night.
But sit tight, it could be awhile before Nevada is ready to declare a winner.
The 2020 presidential race, for example, wasn’t called until the Saturday after Election Day.
The Review-Journal has staff assigned across the Las Vegas Valley and will update this blog in real time throughout the day.
—Ricardo Torres-Cortez
