Nearly 450,000 Nevadans cast ballots in the June 9 primaries.
That’s roughly one in five registered voters — relatively low turnout in a year when elections will determine control of almost every aspect of state and local government for the next four years.
And while that's not the lowest turnout recorded, it does offer a glimpse at how voters are feeling heading into the general election. For many voters, it seems, that could be summed up as "disillusioned."
"I think on both sides, people are sick of the chaos in D.C.," said Annette Magnus, founder of AM Solutions, a political consulting firm. "They are turned off by much of the rhetoric on both sides. I think that we are seeing people just turn off the news."
Keith Schipper, a Republican Strategist who founded Hesperia Strategies, told State of Nevada that another limiting factor might be the lack of a race affecting the balance of power in Washington.
"It kind of showed that not having a Senate race, a marquee kind of race like that at the top of the ticket, could be an issue for turning out folks in November as well," Schipper said
One race sure to dominate the headlines is this year's gubernatorial election, where the incumbent, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo, is facing a challenge from term-limited Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. The Cook Political Report has listed the race as a toss-up.
However, Nevada's economic outlook is foggy. While state revenues remain positive, visitor and vacancy numbers continue to inch up. That's on top of the country's growing affordability crisis.
Still, this election cycle might just come down to a referendum on President Trump, who recently endorsed Lombardo for reelection.
"I think Lombardo has done pretty well for the most part to kind of insulate himself and kind of focus on Nevada and keep that kind of D.C. outside noise kind of at bay," Schipper said. "He's had to work in a divided government, and they've done some big things, but they've also left some big things on the table."
As for Democrats, they're banking on frustration over the administration being a selling point for Ford's campaign.
"I think you can look at his record of holding Trump accountable, and going after some of the really important issues that I care about as a voter — making sure that we're protecting people in our state from some of that agenda," Magnus said. "On the flip side, I think Governor Lombardo is vulnerable."
As for how to get voters to the polls this fall, both Schipper and Magnus agree that both parties will have to pull out all the stops.
"You're going to have to, you know, take an all-of-the-above approach — on the paid media side [and] you're also going to have to go door to door," Schipper said. "That actual contact with voters is so critical."
"We are going to have to have excellent messaging," said Magnus. "We are going to have to talk to everyone ... We cannot take anyone for granted."
Guests: Annette Magnus, political consultant, AM Solutions; Keith Schipper, political consultant, Hesperia Strategies
