Clark County sees 677,000 ballots cast in high-turnout midterms

Lorena Portilla, the Clark County registrar of voters, reported that approximately 677,000 residents cast their ballots in the November 3 election. The turnout exceeded levels seen in the 2022 midterm cycle. Portilla attributed the high numbers and long wait times to a complex ballot containing 142 contests and 254 candidates. She noted that some voters waited up to four and a half hours after polls closed.

The election results delivered a major shift for local governments across the county. Democratic candidates won key races in Clark County, North Las Vegas, and Henderson. These victories occurred despite many races being nonpartisan on the ballot. Portilla stated that the unique two-card ballot format contributed to the time required for voters to make their selections at polling sites.

In Clark County District F, progressive Democrat Minja Yan defeated Republican Heidi Kasama and nonpartisan candidate Becky Harris. Yan led Kasama by at least 14 points as of Wednesday afternoon. Harris finished with roughly 7 percent of the vote. Yan raised approximately $133,500 and spent about $110,200, leaving her with $5,399 in her campaign account. Kasama spent around $557,000, while Harris spent over $450,000.

Yan credited her victory to a platform focused on light rail infrastructure, affordable housing, and responsible growth. She declined corporate donations during her campaign. "We didn't have a lot of funding or political resources when we started, but we had a lot of community support and community resources," Yan said. She plans to meet with other commissioners to begin building her team.

Becky Harris cited national political trends as a factor in her loss. She mentioned the impact of federal policies on local voting behavior. "We got caught up in the middle of Trump's war in Iran and disenchantment with national policy," Harris said. Kasama did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

In North Las Vegas, Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno won the mayoral race against Councilmember Scott Black. The race was nonpartisan, but Black had previously been registered as a Republican before switching. Black spent $1 million on his campaign, while Monroe-Moreno spent approximately $500,000. Monroe-Moreno, the chair of the Nevada Democratic Party, said she will not run for re-election as state party chair in March 2027.

Monroe-Moreno told reporters that her race felt independent of nationwide trends. "It wasn't the first time people saw me or heard from me, knew me," she said. Black called her to congratulate her, and the two candidates plan to meet for lunch. Esmeralda Villeda won the Ward 1 city council seat, defeating Sherry Strothers.

In Henderson, Mayor Michelle Romero won re-election against former police chief Hollie Chadwick by more than 20 percentage points. Romero had about $287,600 on hand, while Chadwick had roughly $7,000. Chadwick was fired under Romero in early 2025. In the Ward 3 council race, Jennifer Atlas defeated incumbent Carrie Cox. Atlas is a registered Democrat and will be the only Democrat on the Henderson City Council.

Romero said she was pleased with the result, noting it came in close to her expectations. She expressed excitement about working with Atlas, who she described as bringing new energy to the council. Atlas said she campaigned on lowering costs and increasing access to healthcare. Cox, who had a contentious relationship with Romero, is leaving the council.

The race for the Las Vegas Ward 2 council seat remains extremely close. Attorney Shannon Nordstrom leads firefighter Luke McCarthy by 144 votes as of Wednesday afternoon. Tens of thousands of mail ballots are still being counted. Nevada does not have an automatic recount threshold, but candidates can request a recount within three days of the election. Neither candidate responded to comment requests immediately.