The Republican Party still maintained a six-percentage point lead in registered voters in Nye County according to the latest statistics released by the county clerk's office.

That comes despite a flurry of voter registration before the much hyped January Democratic presidential caucus.

Voter registration in-person for the Aug. 12 primary was due by 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 22.

The Nye County clerk's office reported after the close of registration Tuesday there were 10,056 registered Republicans, 43 percent of the total, 8,738 Democrats, 37.4 percent and 3,123 non-partisans, 13.3 percent. Another 1,196 voters registered as members of the Independent American Party, 170 as Libertarians, 27 Green Party members, 14 members of the Natural Law Party, four Reform Party members and 21 that fit into the "other" category.

There were 1,015 more registered Democrats this July than during the last primary election in 2006 and 984 more Republicans. But the advantage of 31 Democrats wasn't enough to sway the percentages much. Another 248 voters were registered as non-partisan than two years ago.

In the August 2006 primary, there were 9,072 registered Republicans, 7,723 Democrats, 2,875 non-partisans, 812 Independent American Party members, 186 Libertarians, 19 Green Party members, 16 members of the Natural Law Party, seven Reform Party members and six that belonged in the "other" category.

Seventy-six percent of the 23,349 registered voters in Nye County -- 17,748 voters -- live in Pahrump, where 17 of the 35 county precincts are located.

Republican candidates had winning margins almost double their registration advantage in two key races in Nye County in the November 2006 election, indicating they possibly picked up non-partisan or crossover Democratic voters.

U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, a Republican, defeated Democrat Jill Derby by a 49.2 percent to 39.3 percent margin. Gov. Jim Gibbons, a Republican, defeated Democrat Dina Titus, state senate minority leader, 49.8 percent to 37.2 percent.

The Nye County Clerk's Office reported there were 799 inactive voters on the rolls. When the county clerk's office receives mail returned as undeliverable and the voters don't respond to two more mail inquiries, they are put on the inactive list. County Clerk Sam Merlino said those voters can still register to vote at the polling place.

If those inactive voters also miss two general elections, Merlino said they are removed from the rolls entirely.

Early voting begins tomorrow for the Aug. 12 primary.