Republican Party primaries in Nevada, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9 (mail), Oct. 16 (in-person), or Oct. 18 (online)
- Early voting: Oct. 20 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[1][2]
Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[3] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[4][5][6] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[7]
This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Nevada on June 12, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
Republican primary candidates- Dean Heller (Incumbent) ✔
- Sherry Brooks
- Sarah Gazala
- Vic Harrell
- Tom Heck
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyU.S. House
District 1
Republican primary candidatesDistrict 2
Republican primary candidates- Mark Amodei (Incumbent) ✔
- Sharron Angle
- Joel Beck
- Ian Luetkehans
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 3
Republican primary candidates- Patrick Carter
- Eddie Hamilton
- Scott Hammond
- Stephanie Jones
- Thomas Mark La Croix
- David McKeon
- Michelle Mortensen
- Danny Tarkanian ✔
- Annette Teijeiro
District 4
Republican primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyState elections
Nevada Party Control: 1992-2025
Five years of Democratic trifectas • Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Gubernatorial election
Republican primary candidates
- Bill Boyd
- Stephanie Carlisle
- Frederick Conquest
- Edward Dundas
- Jared Fisher
- Adam Laxalt ✔
- Stan Lusak
- Dan Schwartz
Lieutenant gubernatorial election
Republican primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Attorney general election
Republican primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Secretary of state election
Republican primary candidates
- Barbara K. Cegavske (Incumbent) ✔
- Ernest Aldridge
State party overview
- See also: Republican Party of Nevada
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Republican Party of Nevada's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Republican Party of Nevada revenue, 2011 to 2016[8][9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $392,913.93 | $174,124.71 | $567,038.64 |
| 2012 | $678,959.62 | $119,196.89 | $798,156.51 |
| 2013 | $82,794.78 | $200,218.13 | $283,012.91 |
| 2014 | $86,884.92 | $81,916.00 | $168,800.92 |
| 2015 | $502,485.10 | $437,242.31 | $939,727.41 |
| 2016 | $5,113,202.87 | $5,279,037.55 | $10,392,240.42 |
Nevada compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Nevada was one of five states to hold a primary election on June 12, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Nevada has a closed primary system where a voter must be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary. A voter may be able to affiliate or change their affiliation on the day of the primary.[10][11][12]
Poll times
All polling places in Nevada are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[13][14]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Nevada, each applicant must be must a citizen of the United States, a resident of Nevada for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the election.
Seventeen-year-olds can preregister to vote. Anyone who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court may not register to vote.[15]
A voter registration application can be completed in person at the county clerk’s office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, other social service agencies, or college campuses. In-person registration must be completed 28 days before regular elections; registration forms submitted by mail must be postmarked by the same day. Online applications must be submitted by the Thursday before regular elections.[16][15]
Nevada also allows same-day registration.
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Nevada automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.[17]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Nevada has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Nevada allows same-day voter registration at polling places during early voting and on election day.[15]
Residency requirements
In order to register to vote in Nevada, applicants must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days prior to the election.[15]
Verification of citizenship
Nevada does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[18]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[19] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Nevada Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
Nevada does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. A voter in Nevada must sign their name in the election board register at his or her polling place. The signature is compared with the signature on the voter's original application to vote or another form of identification, such as a driver's license, a state identification card, military identification, or another government-issued ID.[20]
The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[21]
These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.
Early voting
Nevada permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Nevada is an all-mail voting state. County and city clerks deliver absentee/mail-in ballots automatically to all active registered voters in every election. Voters can opt out of receiving a mail-in ballot.[22]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
There are no Pivot Counties in Nevada. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Nevada with 47.9 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 45.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1868 and 2016, Nevada voted Republican 51 percent of the time and Democratic 46 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Nevada voted Democratic three times and Republican the other two.[23]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in Nevada. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[24][25]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 26 out of 42 state Assembly districts in Nevada with an average margin of victory of 28.9 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 25 out of 42 state Assembly districts in Nevada with an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 16 out of 42 state Assembly districts in Nevada with an average margin of victory of 15.9 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 17 out of 42 state Assembly districts in Nevada with an average margin of victory of 18.6 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 Presidential Results by State Assembly District ' | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 59.65% | 38.79% | D+20.9 | 54.86% | 39.16% | D+15.7 | D |
| 2 | 45.76% | 52.78% | R+7 | 45.88% | 48.54% | R+2.7 | R |
| 3 | 65.83% | 31.97% | D+33.9 | 60.31% | 33.47% | D+26.8 | D |
| 4 | 48.41% | 49.77% | R+1.4 | 43.93% | 49.61% | R+5.7 | R |
| 5 | 52.62% | 45.70% | D+6.9 | 49.81% | 44.25% | D+5.6 | D |
| 6 | 89.89% | 8.89% | D+81 | 83.44% | 12.33% | D+71.1 | D |
| 7 | 72.76% | 25.61% | D+47.2 | 68.59% | 26.44% | D+42.2 | D |
| 8 | 58.99% | 39.23% | D+19.8 | 55.42% | 38.87% | D+16.6 | D |
| 9 | 54.89% | 43.49% | D+11.4 | 52.31% | 42.20% | D+10.1 | D |
| 10 | 62.90% | 35.09% | D+27.8 | 60.50% | 33.78% | D+26.7 | D |
| 11 | 80.64% | 17.55% | D+63.1 | 76.81% | 17.89% | D+58.9 | D |
| 12 | 56.63% | 41.71% | D+14.9 | 53.09% | 41.24% | D+11.9 | D |
| 13 | 45.00% | 53.30% | R+8.3 | 39.24% | 54.33% | R+15.1 | R |
| 14 | 70.55% | 27.50% | D+43.1 | 67.12% | 27.32% | D+39.8 | D |
| 15 | 67.95% | 29.82% | D+38.1 | 62.90% | 31.41% | D+31.5 | D |
| 16 | 67.97% | 29.82% | D+38.2 | 63.11% | 31.10% | D+32 | D |
| 17 | 66.36% | 32.12% | D+34.2 | 62.77% | 31.02% | D+31.8 | D |
| 18 | 65.03% | 32.82% | D+32.2 | 58.77% | 34.72% | D+24.1 | D |
| 19 | 44.50% | 53.69% | R+9.2 | 38.58% | 55.27% | R+16.7 | R |
| 20 | 60.16% | 37.75% | D+22.4 | 55.55% | 37.95% | D+17.6 | D |
| 21 | 54.03% | 44.10% | D+9.9 | 49.38% | 44.25% | D+5.1 | D |
| 22 | 44.38% | 54.03% | R+9.7 | 42.60% | 51.43% | R+8.8 | R |
| 23 | 39.08% | 59.36% | R+20.3 | 35.83% | 58.89% | R+23.1 | R |
| 24 | 68.08% | 28.93% | D+39.2 | 62.88% | 28.04% | D+34.8 | D |
| 25 | 46.00% | 52.24% | R+6.2 | 43.91% | 48.03% | R+4.1 | R |
| 26 | 42.68% | 55.58% | R+12.9 | 41.90% | 49.78% | R+7.9 | R |
| 27 | 57.50% | 39.97% | D+17.5 | 51.40% | 39.33% | D+12.1 | D |
| 28 | 79.15% | 19.02% | D+60.1 | 75.38% | 19.70% | D+55.7 | D |
| 29 | 50.34% | 47.68% | D+2.7 | 46.36% | 46.99% | R+0.6 | D |
| 30 | 59.91% | 37.99% | D+21.9 | 51.98% | 39.77% | D+12.2 | D |
| 31 | 48.53% | 49.48% | R+1 | 42.78% | 48.68% | R+5.9 | D |
| 32 | 34.67% | 62.22% | R+27.6 | 26.42% | 65.50% | R+39.1 | R |
| 33 | 22.32% | 74.64% | R+52.3 | 17.83% | 73.52% | R+55.7 | R |
| 34 | 57.37% | 40.92% | D+16.5 | 54.26% | 39.76% | D+14.5 | D |
| 35 | 53.05% | 45.22% | D+7.8 | 50.75% | 43.41% | D+7.3 | D |
| 36 | 36.56% | 60.43% | R+23.9 | 30.42% | 63.55% | R+33.1 | R |
| 37 | 47.06% | 51.39% | R+4.3 | 45.75% | 48.97% | R+3.2 | R |
| 38 | 31.80% | 65.63% | R+33.8 | 22.91% | 69.75% | R+46.8 | R |
| 39 | 36.00% | 61.91% | R+25.9 | 29.98% | 62.86% | R+32.9 | R |
| 40 | 43.28% | 54.08% | R+10.8 | 37.91% | 53.28% | R+15.4 | R |
| 41 | 53.81% | 44.39% | D+9.4 | 50.66% | 43.60% | D+7.1 | D |
| 42 | 64.36% | 33.83% | D+30.5 | 58.83% | 35.75% | D+23.1 | D |
| Total | 52.36% | 45.68% | D+6.7 | 47.92% | 45.50% | D+2.4 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Federal primaries in Nevada | State primaries in Nevada | Nevada state party apparatus | Nevada voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
- ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "AURORA Campaign Financial Disclosure," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Nevada Republican Party Central Committee and Nevada State Democratic Party)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Nevada Republican State Central Committee and Nevada State Democratic Party)
- ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.287," accessed September 12, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.5847," accessed September 12, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.560," accessed September 12, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Legislatures, "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.273," accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Clark County, Nevada, "Election Day Voting," accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Nevada Secretary of State, “Elections,” accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, “Registering to Vote,” accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, “Voter Registration,” accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, “Voter Registration Form,” accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Nevada Legislatures, "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.277," accessed October 7, 2025
- ↑ Congress, "H.R.3295 - Help America Vote Act of 2002," accessed September 30, 2025
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, “Mail Ballot Voting,” accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ 270towin.com, "Nevada," accessed August 3, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
