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| Nevada caucuses: vote counting under way in crucial contest | Nevada caucuses: vote counting under way in crucial contest |
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| Electorate in ‘first-in-the-west’ primary is more representative of Democratic party than voters in earlier states | Electorate in ‘first-in-the-west’ primary is more representative of Democratic party than voters in earlier states |
| Counting is under way in Nevada , where residents on Saturday cast their votes in the “first-in-the-west” primary contest that will play a key role in choosing the Democratic candidate to take on Donald Trump. | Counting is under way in Nevada , where residents on Saturday cast their votes in the “first-in-the-west” primary contest that will play a key role in choosing the Democratic candidate to take on Donald Trump. |
| Saturday’s caucuses marked the first voting in a state with a diverse electorate that more closely resembles the demographics of the US and the Democratic party. Nevada is nearly 30% Latino and 10% black and has a rapidly growing Asian American population. | Saturday’s caucuses marked the first voting in a state with a diverse electorate that more closely resembles the demographics of the US and the Democratic party. Nevada is nearly 30% Latino and 10% black and has a rapidly growing Asian American population. |
| Voters started lining up at some of the 200 caucus sites across the state well before the caucuses. After days of perma-blue skies, it was raining in Las Vegas on Saturday, with volunteers bracing against the conditions to welcome voters to their sites. On the Las Vegas Strip, hotel and casino workers streamed into the Bellagio, one of seven casino-resorts there that served as caucus sites. | Voters started lining up at some of the 200 caucus sites across the state well before the caucuses. After days of perma-blue skies, it was raining in Las Vegas on Saturday, with volunteers bracing against the conditions to welcome voters to their sites. On the Las Vegas Strip, hotel and casino workers streamed into the Bellagio, one of seven casino-resorts there that served as caucus sites. |
| Voting started at noon and many sites had wrapped up by 2pm local time. Nearly 75,000 residents had cast their ballots ahead of the caucuses on Saturday. A majority were first-time caucus-goers, according to Democratic party officials. | Voting started at noon and many sites had wrapped up by 2pm local time. Nearly 75,000 residents had cast their ballots ahead of the caucuses on Saturday. A majority were first-time caucus-goers, according to Democratic party officials. |
| Angelica Romero, 54, gained citizenship last year and said it was a privilege to cast her vote for the first time. Romero, who works as a guest room attendant on the Strip and is a member, was caucusing for the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. “The morals of Bernie are the same as those of my family and myself,” she said, mentioning his Medicare for All plan and his proposal for free college education. | Angelica Romero, 54, gained citizenship last year and said it was a privilege to cast her vote for the first time. Romero, who works as a guest room attendant on the Strip and is a member, was caucusing for the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. “The morals of Bernie are the same as those of my family and myself,” she said, mentioning his Medicare for All plan and his proposal for free college education. |
| Polls had shown Sanders with a significant lead after he cemented his frontrunner status in Iowa and New Hampshire. | Polls had shown Sanders with a significant lead after he cemented his frontrunner status in Iowa and New Hampshire. |
| Sanders’ final rally in Las Vegas on Friday night attracted more than 2,000 people, according to his campaign. Supporters waved cellphone lights in the air. Thousands screamed and clapped as the Vermont senator, at an outdoor amphitheater and backlit in blue, mentioned his signature policies. “The American people understand that it is time for fundamental change,” Sanders said. | Sanders’ final rally in Las Vegas on Friday night attracted more than 2,000 people, according to his campaign. Supporters waved cellphone lights in the air. Thousands screamed and clapped as the Vermont senator, at an outdoor amphitheater and backlit in blue, mentioned his signature policies. “The American people understand that it is time for fundamental change,” Sanders said. |
| The caucuses could be a make-or-break moment for several of the other Democratic contenders. Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to vote in the Democratic primary season, are 90% white and delivered strong results for the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg. But polling has shown the more moderate candidate struggling with black and Latino voters. The Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, the other midwestern candidate vying for moderates, has also polled poorly with voters of color and has recently faced tough questions about her record as a prosecutor. | The caucuses could be a make-or-break moment for several of the other Democratic contenders. Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to vote in the Democratic primary season, are 90% white and delivered strong results for the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg. But polling has shown the more moderate candidate struggling with black and Latino voters. The Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, the other midwestern candidate vying for moderates, has also polled poorly with voters of color and has recently faced tough questions about her record as a prosecutor. |
| The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren had disappointing results in the first two states, but a standout debate night in Las Vegas this week has re-energized her campaign. Warren’s team said on Saturday they had raised more than $14m in the past 10 days. | The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren had disappointing results in the first two states, but a standout debate night in Las Vegas this week has re-energized her campaign. Warren’s team said on Saturday they had raised more than $14m in the past 10 days. |
| Joe Biden’s poll numbers have continued to drop since his weak performance in the previous two contests, and another disappointing finish could jeopardize his bid for the presidency. | Joe Biden’s poll numbers have continued to drop since his weak performance in the previous two contests, and another disappointing finish could jeopardize his bid for the presidency. |
| The billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had an embarrassing first debate performance this week, is not on the ballot in Nevada due to his late entrance into the race. | The billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had an embarrassing first debate performance this week, is not on the ballot in Nevada due to his late entrance into the race. |
| At Sparks high school outside Reno, a group of Sanders supporters were the first to arrive hours before the caucus, encouraging voters to back the Vermont senator as they lined up. | At Sparks high school outside Reno, a group of Sanders supporters were the first to arrive hours before the caucus, encouraging voters to back the Vermont senator as they lined up. |
| Essie Richard, a 73-year-old resident, was not swayed. | Essie Richard, a 73-year-old resident, was not swayed. |
| “I’m Biden all the way. He was vice-president for eight years. He has the experience,” said Richard, adding that protecting social security and Medicare was the most important issue to her: “I’m barely surviving.” | “I’m Biden all the way. He was vice-president for eight years. He has the experience,” said Richard, adding that protecting social security and Medicare was the most important issue to her: “I’m barely surviving.” |
| Naomi Zamarripa, an 18-year-old high school senior, also arrived early and said she was excited to cast her first vote for Sanders: “I love his commitment. He’s been around for so long. He keeps fighting and stays true to his beliefs.” | Naomi Zamarripa, an 18-year-old high school senior, also arrived early and said she was excited to cast her first vote for Sanders: “I love his commitment. He’s been around for so long. He keeps fighting and stays true to his beliefs.” |
| A few miles away at the University of Nevada, Reno, voters waited in a long line to get inside a lecture hall. Many Sanders and Warren supporters in line carried signs, some engaging in lively debates and trying to convince each other to change their minds at the last minute. | A few miles away at the University of Nevada, Reno, voters waited in a long line to get inside a lecture hall. Many Sanders and Warren supporters in line carried signs, some engaging in lively debates and trying to convince each other to change their minds at the last minute. |
| Sam Difulvio, a 19-year-old student, said she was still torn between the two progressive candidates minutes before the process started. “I’m trying to hone in on their character and see who I like as a person. I want to hear what normal people have to say about the candidates.” | Sam Difulvio, a 19-year-old student, said she was still torn between the two progressive candidates minutes before the process started. “I’m trying to hone in on their character and see who I like as a person. I want to hear what normal people have to say about the candidates.” |
| Cat Dow, 29, said she was excited that this was an election with two candidates she actually liked – Sanders and Warren. “Elizabeth’s debate really shook me. I love her, she kicked ass, everything she said was so salient and so relevant and she was so tough.” But Dow, who works in computer technology, said she was sticking with Sanders, adding: “I want the national embarrassment out of office more thananything else.” | Cat Dow, 29, said she was excited that this was an election with two candidates she actually liked – Sanders and Warren. “Elizabeth’s debate really shook me. I love her, she kicked ass, everything she said was so salient and so relevant and she was so tough.” But Dow, who works in computer technology, said she was sticking with Sanders, adding: “I want the national embarrassment out of office more thananything else.” |
| Unlike private votes in traditional primaries, the caucuses have voters gather in groups based on their top-choice candidate, giving them an opportunity to switch to a second choice if their first pick doesn’t gather enough support to be considered “viable” in that precinct. | Unlike private votes in traditional primaries, the caucuses have voters gather in groups based on their top-choice candidate, giving them an opportunity to switch to a second choice if their first pick doesn’t gather enough support to be considered “viable” in that precinct. |
| Nevada Democrats had been scrambling to avoid the technology failures that caused chaos in the Iowa caucuses, due to mishaps involving an app. Nevada officials initially said precincts would use Google forms software to relay the votes, but a day before the election said they would instead rely on a more traditional phone hotline. The last-minute changes have raised concerns that the counting could be slow or messy, and the party has said it cannot commit to releasing same-day results after the caucuses. | Nevada Democrats had been scrambling to avoid the technology failures that caused chaos in the Iowa caucuses, due to mishaps involving an app. Nevada officials initially said precincts would use Google forms software to relay the votes, but a day before the election said they would instead rely on a more traditional phone hotline. The last-minute changes have raised concerns that the counting could be slow or messy, and the party has said it cannot commit to releasing same-day results after the caucuses. |
| Nevada is the second-to-last contest before 14 states vote on Super Tuesday in March. | Nevada is the second-to-last contest before 14 states vote on Super Tuesday in March. |
| “Nevada determines how things are going to go in the rest of the country,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary treasurer for the Culinary Union, the state’s most powerful labor group, which represents Las Vegas casino workers. | “Nevada determines how things are going to go in the rest of the country,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary treasurer for the Culinary Union, the state’s most powerful labor group, which represents Las Vegas casino workers. |
| At one precinct at the university in Reno, Sanders won overwhelming support, leaving a small handful of Buttigieg and Warren supporters unable to win a delegate. Carissa Bradley, a 23-year-old Warren fan in the group, said she hoped Nevada would move away from the caucus system in the future: “It’s super archaic. It’s not conducive to introverts or people who aren’t politically active. And it creates issues for people who work on the weekends or can’t take all this time off.” | |
| Bradley said she was ready to back any nominee: “It doesn’t matter who becomes the candidate – as long as we all vote blue.” |