Voter registration approaches 900,000

Voter registration in Nevada has surpassed the number registered for the 2000 election between George Bush and Al Gore and was just shy of 900,000 as of the end of August.

A total of 899,310 were registered compared with 878,970 who were on county rolls before the 2000 presidential election.

The total registered fell somewhat by the closing date before the 2002 interim elections when the Secretary of State's Office reported 869,801 eligible to vote. Political observers say that is common in interim election years, especially if the primary off-year race is not a tight one. In 2002, the governor's race between Kenny Guinn and Joe Neal of North Las Vegas was not regarded as close.

The numbers show that, over the past two years, it's the GOP which has been working hardest to build registration. The party had less than a 1,000-vote advantage in the 2000 elections, but had expanded it to 7,992 by November 2002. The new numbers, as of the end of August, show Republicans with 372,170 registered -- 8,159 more than Democrats.

The swing vote in any Nevada election remains the 135,418 voters who define themselves as nonpartisan.

After that, the next largest group is the Independent American Party with 17,144 registered voters. The remaining parties show a total registration of 10,567 voters.

Secretary of State Dean Heller issued the numbers while urging Nevadans to register to vote and to cast their ballot on election day next year.

Heller estimated only half those eligible to vote are actually registered in Nevada.

"We need our citizenry to take an active role in the democratic process," he said.