Voter turnout was 38.39 percent in the Aug. 15 primary, according to unofficial results released by the Nye County clerk's office.

The early voting turnout was 3,046, equal to 15.27 percent of registered voters. Another 4,180 voters turned out on election day, for a total of 7,660 voters.

Nye County Clerk Sam Merlino said by comparison, the 2004 primary election, during a presidential election year, drew 5,680 voters, a turnout of 32.48 percent, or measurably less than that last week.

During the general election in November 2004, Nye County registered a voter turnout of 75.1 percent, Merlino said.

"The last general election the turnout was so good, I was so impressed," Merlino said.

The clerk's office reported 3,767 Republicans turned out to vote for this primary, along with 2,925 Democrats and 968 non-partisans. That represents a 41.5 percent turnout by Republicans, 37.8 percent for the Democrats and 33.6 percent for non-partisans. Republicans had contested primary races in Nye County Commission Districts IV and V, while Democrats didn't. Non-partisans could only vote on statewide races.

The volatile sheriff's race may have spurred some voters to get to the polls.

This year, the county clerk's office opened a new polling place at J.G. Johnson Elementary School. Previously, only the Pahrump Community Center and Manse Elementary School were used as local polling places.

Merlino said the community center was already used by nine precincts. She said that polling place was so packed that the clerk's office heard complaints about the long lines.

This past primary, residents of seven precincts voted at the Pahrump Community Center, and five apiece vote at Manse and J.G. Johnson elementary schools.

The printing of election results at the Nye County Courthouse in Pahrump was delayed Tuesday evening until a printer could be delivered. Entire election results from the touch-screen system were produced by about 10:30 p.m.

In spite of that glitch, Merlino said, "The election, as far as I'm concerned, everything ran smoothly."

(In September 2004, primary results were unavailable the next day in the Pahrump Valley Times as election workers ran into technical glitches with the new system.)

Republicans padded their majority in voter registration numbers over the past two years.

By the end of the registration period for the 2004 primary there were 7,540 registered Republicans and 6.807 Democrats in Nye County, a Republican advantage of 733 voters. By the close of registration this year there were 9,072 registered Republicans and 7,723 Democrats, or 1,349 more registered Republicans.

Although 459 more people declared themselves non-partisan during that time, the two major political parties increased their edge over non-partisans.