How Party Affiliation Affects You in Elections

Last Updated May 16, 2022

Check Your Registration and Party Affiliation Online
If you are currently registered to vote in Clark County, NV, login to Registered Voter Services and select View My Registration Information from the dropdown menu to quickly see your registration data, including your party affiliation, voting eligibility in a specific election, polling place, precinct, elected officials (with contact information), and address on record on record with the Election Department.
 
Federal/State Primary Elections (CLOSED),
Even-Numbered Year
What Is a Primary Election
A Primary Election is a preliminary (nominating) election to select, when necessary, Democratic, Republican, and nonpartisan candidates who will run in the General Election contests (except candidates for special district offices, who will only appear in the General Election). The direct vote of the people selects the candidates, rather than the votes of convention delegates.

Nevada Is a CLOSED Primary Election State
In Nevada, Federal/State Primary Elections are "CLOSED." That means if you chose Democrat or Republican as your party in your Voter Registration, you may vote only for candidates from your own party and you may also vote in nonpartisan contests. If you chose a party affiliation that was anything other than Democrat or Republican, you may vote only in nonpartisan contests. Note that ballot questions will not appear in the Primary Election.

•   Major Political Parties:
  °   Democratic: If you are a registered Democrat, you may vote in your precinct's contests which select Democratic candidates AND in all of your precinct's nonpartisan contests.
  °   Republican: If you are a registered Republican, you may vote in your precinct's contests which select Republican candidates AND in all of your precinct's nonpartisan contests.
• Other Political Parties and Affiliations:If you are not registered as a Democrat or Republican, you may vote for ONLY NONPARTISAN CONTESTS for your precinct. Minor party, other party and independent (no party) candidates for partisan contests only appear in the General Election, NOT the Primary Election.
  °   Minor Political Parties: If your Voter Registration indicates that your party is one of those listed below, your affiliation will be classified as "minor party" and it will be listed under the name of that party. You may vote for ONLY NONPARTISAN CONTESTS for your precinct. Currently, Nevada officially recognizes two minor parties for ballot access purposes (pursuant to NRS 293.171): Independent American Party and Libertarian Party.   
  °   All Other Political Parties: If your Voter Registration indicates that your party is not officially recognized as a major or minor party by the State of Nevada, your affiliation will be classified as "other" and it will be listed under the name of that party. You may vote for ONLY NONPARTISAN CONTESTS for your precinct.
  °   No Political Party (Nonpartisans or "Independents"): If your Voter Registration indicates that you are "nonpartisan" or that you are an "independent," i.e., not affiliated with any political party, your affiliation will be classified as "nonpartisan" and it will be listed as "nonpartisan." You may vote for ONLY NONPARTISAN CONTESTS for your precinct. 

Federal/State General Elections,
Even-Numbered Years
Candidates who receive the most votes in a General Election are elected to office. You may vote for all offices and questions on the ballot for your precinct, regardless of your party affiliation.

Municipal (City) Primary and General Elections,
Even-Numbered Years
Candidates’ parties will not appear on the ballot for municipal contests because the offices are all nonpartisan.

If you are properly registered within the physical boundaries of an incorporated city (Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite, or North Las Vegas), you may vote for all municipal contests and ballot questions for your own city, regardless of your party affiliation. For more information about municipal elections, contact your City Clerk.

RESTRICTION: Voters registered in unincorporated areas of Clark County may NOT vote for Municipal contests and questions.

Presidential Preference Primaries in Nevada,
Presidential Election Years 
AB126 of the 2021 legislative session established Presidential Preference Primaries. Starting in 2024, Nevada will have a Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) instead of caucuses to determine the preferences of registered Democratic and Republican voters for their major party’s nominee for U.S. President from among multiple candidates in their party. You may only vote for candidates from your own party (the party you specified in your voter registration).  The first Tuesday in February in presidential election years is the date for the PPP. In 2024, it will be February 6.  Note that minor parties will not participate in the PPP and their candidates will go directly to the General Election ballot.