(The Center Square) – Nevada saw a record voter turnout this year with 72.84% of the approximately two million registered voters casting a ballot. The state also had a record number of young voters turnout at 57.2% of registered voters 18-29, surpassing the national average of 42%.
Additionally, the number of registered voters has increased from 1,897,126 in 2022. While the number of registered voters has increased, the number of registered Democrats has decreased and the number of registered Republicans has increased since 2022. The gap between parties has tightened with 609,954 Democrats and 600,754 Republicans in 2024 compared to 616,841 Democrats and 565,121 Republicans in 2022.
According to data compiled by the Secretary of State’s office, the majority of ballots in 2024 were cast by mail or during early voting with only 18% of voters showing up on election day. Additionally, the state’s new digital voting application – the Effective Absentee System for Elections (EASE) – was used by almost 7,000 voters compared to the approximately 1,200 voters in 2020.
“EASE is available for Nevada’s active-duty military, their families, overseas citizens, voters with a disability and tribal voters who live on a colony or reservation in Nevada,” reads a news release from the Secretary of State’s office.
This electronic voting system was established in 2014 primarily for military and overseas voters to access their absentee ballots online. However, it has since been expanded for disabled and tribal voters.
According to Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, increasing voting access to tribal communities was a priority this election season. In addition to expanding the use of EASE to tribal voters, three new tribal polling locations were established at Battle Mountain Band colony, Lovelock Paiute tribe and Stewart colony.
Additionally, Aguilar noted that the state established multiple programs this year to enhance voting security and integrity. This was done through the Voter Registration and Election Management System. This system was able to streamline the voting process with the use of new poll pads, enhance cybersecurity and increase transparency.
The Secretary of State’s office also began releasing quarterly reports on investigations into reports on election violations in addition to establishing an election integrity task force.
“I would like to thank voters across Nevada for making the 2024 general election such a success,” Aguilar said. “For years I’ve been saying Nevada runs some of the most secure, transparent, and accessible elections in the country, and our whole state came together to show how true that is.”