The Nevada caucuses are an important electoral event in which citizens of Nevada meet in precinct caucuses to choose representatives to their county conventions. The caucuses serve as an indirect vote for the candidates since the actual delegate selection process takes place at county conventions following the caucuses where delegates, selected during the caucuses, cast their vote for their preferred presidential nominee.
Unlike in a primary, the Nevada caucus does not result directly in national delegates for each candidate. Instead, caucus-goers elect delegates to county conventions, who, in turn, elect delegates to state conventions, where Nevada’s national convention delegates are selected.
The Nevada caucuses started in 2008, resulting from the developing significance of the Western United States as well as Nevada’s electoral bellwether status. In 2012, the Nevada caucuses were the third major electoral event in the nomination process for President of the United States.
In 2020, the Nevada Democratic Party will hold a caucus that is slated to take place on Saturday, February 22, 2020. The Nevada Republican Caucus may take place on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, but that date is unofficial and subject to change.
2020 Nevada Caucus Results
2020 Nevada Democratic Caucus
For the latest and most up-to-date information on the 2020 Nevada Democratic Caucus, visit the Nevada Democratic Party.
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Caucus Locations
Delegates: 48 (36 pledged, 12 super)
Allocation: Proportional – Some delegates are allocated statewide and some are allocated by Congressional District.
Type: Closed
Latest Polls
Poll | Date | Sample | Sanders | Biden | Buttigieg | Warren | Klobuchar | Steyer | Gabbard | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCP Average | 2/11 - 2/20 | -- | 29 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 10.5 | 10.5 | Sanders +13.0 | |
| KLAS-TV/Emerson | 2/19 - 2/20 | 425 LV | 30 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 2 | Sanders +13 |
| Data for Progress (D) | 2/19 - 2/20 | LV | 32 | 14 | 15 | 17 | -- | -- | -- | Sanders +15 |
| Las Vegas Review-Journal | 2/11 - 2/13 | 413 LV | 25 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 11 | -- | Sanders +7 |
Historical Winners: (by year)
2016: Hillary Clinton (D)
2008: Hillary Clinton (D)
2020 Nevada Republican Caucus
The 2020 NEvada Republican Caucus has been canceled. Please visit our canceled 2020 Primary & Caucus page for more details. For the latest and most up-to-date information on the 2020 Nevada Republican Caucus, visit the Nevada Republican Party.
Date: Canceled
Original Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 (subject to change)
Caucus Locations
Delegates: 25
Type: Closed
Historical Winners: (by year)
2016: Donald Trump (R)
2012: Mitt Romney (R)
2008: Mitt Romney (R)
What is the Nevada Caucus?
The Nevada caucuses began in 2008, reflecting the growing importance of the West as well as Nevada’s electoral bellwether status. In 2012, the Nevada caucuses were the third major electoral event in the nominating process for President of the United States, though little attention was given to the contest. In 2016, Nevada gained more prominence by holding its vote directly following South Carolina, with the hope of giving the West a greater voice in the process.
The Nevada caucuses, similar to the Iowa caucus, are run by the state political parties and serve to select delegates which are nominated to the country convention. From the county convention, delegates are nominated for the state convention, from which delegates are then nominated to the national party convention, where the eventual nominee is selected. As such, the Nevada Caucuses are dissimilar from a primary since the purpose is to select delegates for the county level, which begins the process where delegates eventually get sent to the national convention to support the candidate selected by the voters at the county level.
The Nevada caucus has 3 levels: The precinct, the county convention and finally the state convention. Overall, Nevada has 33 Democratic delegates and 34 Republican delegates who will represent the precinct level voters at the respective national convention to select the nominee.