What to expect on Election Day in Nevada

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nevada is once again the scene of intensely competitive races that could come for control of the White House and the U.S. Senate. It is also one of 10 states where voters will vote after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Roe v. Wade was repealed will decide a high-profile ballot measure on abortion.

Nevada has six electoral votes, making it the smallest of the seven presidential battleground states that Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump and their campaigns see as crucial to winning the presidency. Both candidates have made multiple campaign stops in Nevada since being nominated by their parties over the summer.

In the race for a seat in the closely divided U.S. Senate, Democratic incumbent Jacky Rosen is seeking a second term against Republican Sam Brown, a retired Army captain who unsuccessfully ran for the GOP nomination for the state's other U.S. Senate seat in 2022 .

Voters will also pass ballot measures that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, require voters to show a photo ID to vote and implement a nonpartisan, ranked-choice voting system in future elections.

Nevada has one of the best track records in the country as a presidential candidate. The candidate who won the state has won the White House in 27 of the last 30 presidential elections. It only voted for the losing candidate in 1908, 1976 and 2016, when Democrat Hillary Clinton carried the state. Democrats have won Nevada in the last four presidential elections.

election day

November 5th.

Survey closing time

10 p.m. ET.

Presidential election votes

6 were awarded to the national winner.

Important races and candidates

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Joel Skousen (Independent American Party) vs. “None of these candidates.”

U.S. Senate: Rosen (D) vs. Brown (R) and two others plus “None of these candidates.”

Ballot Measures: Question 6 (Abortion Rights), Question 3 (Top 5 Primary, Ranked General Election), Question 7 (Photo ID required to vote).

Other races of interest

U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State Assembly, State Supreme Court and Washoe County Commissioner.

Decision notes

Nevada conducts its elections primarily by mail. In 2021, the state passed a law requiring the automatic mailing of mail-in ballots to active voters, making it a permanent emergency measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midterm elections the following year, about 80% of voters cast their votes in person before Election Day or by mail.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if they are received by November 9, four days after Election Day. Because large numbers of mail-in ballots may arrive after Election Day, the outcome of some closely contested elections may not be determined until these additional mail-in ballots are received and tabulated. State Republicans challenged that law, but a federal court dismissed the lawsuit in July. In recent elections, votes counted after Election Day were heavily Democratic.

Although most ballots are cast by mail, voters have the option to vote in person at a polling station on Election Day. The state does not release voting results until the last voter in line has cast their ballot, which could be long after polls officially close.

In statewide elections, Democrats typically win only two of Nevada's 17 counties: Clark (home to Las Vegas) and Washoe (home to Reno). Whether they win depends on how big their margins are in these two counties. Clark County has by far the largest population in the state and is critical to Democratic electoral success. She accounted for 69% of the total statewide vote in 2020.

In the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate and governor both had early leads when the first votes were announced after the polls closed, but the two races became much closer and ultimately had different results , as more mail-in ballots were counted. Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto eventually overtook Republican Adam Laxalt four days after Election Day and ultimately prevailed when the results were certified. In the gubernatorial race, Republican Joe Lombardo maintained his narrow lead and defeated Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak.

The Associated Press does not make predictions and will declare a winner only after determining that there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If no race has been called, the AP will continue to report any major developments, such as candidate concessions or victory declarations. In doing so, the AP will make it clear that it has not declared a winner and explain why.

Nevada has no automatic recount law, but candidates can request and pay for a recount within three days of the statewide or statewide election, regardless of the vote margin. The AP can declare a winner in a race subject to a recount if it can determine that the margin is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the result.

Past presidential results

2020: Biden (D) 50%, Trump (R) 48%, AP Race Call: Saturday, November 7, 2020, 12:13 p.m. ET.

Voter registration and turnout

Registered voters: 2,379,571 (as of September 1, 2024). About 30% Democrats, 28% Republicans.

Voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election: 68% of registered voters.

Voting before election day

Votes cast before Election Day 2020: approximately 89% of the total votes.

Votes cast before Election Day 2022: approximately 80% of the total votes.

Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP Advance Vote Tracker.

How long does it take to count the votes?

First votes reported, November 2020: 11:41 p.m. ET.

As of November 4, 6 a.m. ET: About 79% of all votes cast have been reported.

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Associated Press writer Maya Sweedler contributed to this report.

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