Democrats outpace GOP in early voting as groups reach out to diverse communities

Turnout is high this election just days into early voting and progressive groups are looking to sustain that momentum heading into Election Day.

A record of more than 30,000 Clark County residents voted on the first day of early voting, according to the county. Progressive groups kicking off a day of canvassing said communities of color, including Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, are mobilizing to keep the early voting momentum going.

The Asian-American/Pacific Islander community has been mobilizing in five languages to encourage its growing share of voters to register and turn out, said Maggie Tsai, One APIA Nevada communications manager. The group has printed campaign materials in five languages, including Filipino/Tagalog.

“We’ve knocked on doors of members of our community that have admitted that it’s the first time anyone ever has talked to them about the issues they care about in their own language, and it’s working,” Tsai said. “This first early vote weekend alone, the percentage of Asian Pacific Islander American voters turned out for the midterm election at nearly the turnout of the first weekend of 2016.”

Turnout in presidential election years like 2016 is generally much higher than midterm election years. In Clark County, turnout was at more than 75 percent of active registered voters in 2016 compared with over 41 percent in 2014.

LaNiesha Dawson, For Our Future deputy state director, said that with Nevada residents stepping up in record numbers to vote, diverse communities are united for change.

“We are united in our efforts to improve the lives of working people through grassroots actions and mobilization of our communities,” Dawson said during a canvassing kickoff Tuesday. “With so much at stake in this election, from all of our communities, we are doubling down on our efforts to talk to our neighbors, to knock doors, to encourage those who feel overlooked, go and vote.”

In the first three days of early voting statewide, 115,476 people voted in person compared to 111,811 during the entire first week of early voting in 2014, according to the Nevada Secretary of State's Office.

Democrats cast roughly 44 percent of ballots statewide in the first three days of early voting this year versus about 38 percent by Republicans. In the last midterm, 2014, just over 34 percent of ballots cast in the first early voting week were by Democrats while nearly 49 percent were by Republicans.

“We saw in the first weekend of early vote massive numbers all across the state, whether Washoe or Clark County,” said Maria-Teresa Liebermann of Battle Born Progress, noting that groups need to keep that momentum going. “People, Nevadans, are coming together and casting their ballots to show the world that Nevada is not going to go backwards and that we are paying attention to this midterm unlike any other midterms before. We are at almost presidential level, and that’s incredible.”

Keelie Broom, Republican National Committee Nevada spokeswoman, also pointed to 2016 turnout as a measure of this midterm election, noting that Karl Rove noted on Fox News that Republican turnout in Washoe and Clark counties is 98 percent of the party’s 2016 turnout versus 70 percent of 2016 turnout among Democrats.

“The RNC midterm fundraising haul is 269.9 million for the cycle, and a lot of that has come to Nevada to help us identify, persuade and turn out voters in an incredibly streamlined and efficient way,” Keelie said in a statement. “Our army of more than 2,000 Republican Leadership Initiative fellows — backed by the best data and resources in campaign politics — continues to tirelessly and flawlessly execute our permanent, data-driven field operation.”

Tsai said the Asian-American/Pacific Islander community is focusing on issues such as a health care system that protects those with preexisting conditions, education that works for all not just the few, and immigration policies that protect and unite families fleeing violence, poverty and persecution.

“We can’t stop here,” Tsai said. “Our community has a history of fighting and resisting. We resisted discriminatory immigration policies passed to separate our families. We united with other communities of color to fight for better jobs and labor conditions. We honor our history by doubling down on our efforts, knocking on more doors and talking about the issues.”

Groups are working together to amplify their reach to move forward, Tsai said.

“We can’t be ignored or left behind any longer,” Tsai said.

Vivian Chang, civic engagement fellow with Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance of Nevada, said the group has been mobilizing for Democratic candidates at an unprecedented level for this “crucial” election.

“APIAs like us represent 10 percent of the electorate in Nevada, and Clark County alone has a population of more than 190,000,” she said. “We’re seeing tremendous momentum during early vote, not only in turnout numbers but also in the level of engagement in our Asian Pacific American communities.”

Chang said APIA voters are often left out of the conversation when it comes to politics under the assumption that the community is not engaged. Health care access is vital to the community, where heads of households could be taking care of older family members, as is family-based immigration, she said, something that APIA voters as well as Latinos experience.

“(Canvassers are) talking about building more trust in the political system by reaching out to people who have never been touched by any voter organization before,” Chang said. “So we have to let people know about our rights. We’re mobilizing every day because this is a singular moment to make our voices heard.”

Early voting runs from Oct. 20 to Nov. 2. Find a list of places to cast ballots at the Clark County Election Department website.