Nevada’s Role in 2024 Election: Voter Insights

By HB | Hollywood Beat magazine | Los Angeles, CA

October 23, 2024

^{Lead Image: Hollywood Beat magazine graphic with images from: Gerd Altmann, CC (Trump) and The White House Public Domain (Harris)}

Nevada Statewide Election Study

Trump leads Kamala Harris by 1 point in overall voter turnout and a 7-point lead among voters aged 50 and above.

Nevada has a major role in shaping the direction of politics in the U.S. Its diverse population and changing political scene can greatly impact national elections. The state’s blend of urban and rural areas leads to a varied group of voters that often mirrors larger national patterns. According to WalletHub, Nevada is the number one crucial state for the White House and has some of the strongest voting power in the nation.

As a battleground state, Nevada frequently experiences intense political campaigns and important debates. This makes it essential in shaping the results of presidential elections and influencing significant legislative choices at the national level.

AARP Nevada recently shared their second 2024 statewide election study today. It shows that candidates running for state, federal, and presidential positions should really pay attention to Nevadans who are 50 years old and up, since they make up a big part of the population. The study found that 89% of voters aged 50 and older are “extremely motivated” to vote in November, which is a 4-point rise from the first poll AARP Nevada did back in June. Additionally, 84% of older Latino and Hispanic voters feel motivated to vote, scoring a 10 out of 10, which is a 9-point jump since June.

Former President Donald Trump (R) is slightly leading Vice President Kamala Harris (D) among all voters, with 47% for Trump and 46% for Harris. There are 1% of voters who are unsure, and 2% are choosing a third-party candidate. In a direct matchup, Trump has a 49%-47% advantage, with 2% still undecided.

Among voters aged 50 and older, Trump is ahead by 51% to 44%. However, Harris is leading Trump by 15 points among older Hispanic and Latino voters.

Trump has a strong lead of 17 points with men aged 50 and over, and an 18-point lead among all men. On the other hand, older women prefer Harris by two points, and overall, women support her by a margin of fifteen points.

Senator Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, is ahead of her rival Sam Brown, a Republican, in the Senate election, with 49% of the votes compared to Brown’s 44%. Rosen has a strong lead of 20 points with older Hispanic and Latino voters, but among voters aged 50 and above, Brown is close behind Rosen, with a score of 49% to 46%.

Maria Moore, AARP Nevada State Director, emphasizes the need for campaigns to prioritize issues affecting older voters, such as Social Security protection, family caregiver support, and reducing food and housing costs, to gain their support.

Most voters over 50 prioritize candidates’ stance on Social Security, Medicare, utilities, seniors’ assistance, and supporting Medicare’s efforts to negotiate lower prescription medication costs.

Other important conclusions drawn from the survey of voters aged 50 and above are:

• Sixteen percent of older voters are swing voters – those who do not vote straight ticket Republican or Democrat – and among this group, Trump is ahead by 14 points and Rosen is ahead by 20 points.
• Sixty-two percent say they are worried about their personal financial situation, with the cost of food, housing, and utilities ranking as top drivers of financial stress.
• Immigration and border security (38%) is the most important issue when deciding who to vote for in November, followed by the economy and jobs (30%) and inflation and rising prices (24%).
• Fifty-nine percent cite at least one personal economic issue – inflation and rising prices, the economy and jobs, and Social Security – as most important to them.
• Fifty-three percent of older voters say Social Security is or will be a major source of their income.
• Twenty-six percent of older voters identify as family caregivers, with 33% of swing voters and 30% of older women voters saying the same. Family caregivers 50 and older make up 14% of voters overall; Trump has a 13-point lead and Brown has a 5-point lead among this group.

AARP hired Fabrizio Ward & Impact Research to study Nevada voters. The firm interviewed 1,368 likely voters, including 600 statewide, 488 over 50, and 280 Hispanic. The poll was completed in 2024, with interviews conducted via live, cellphone, SMS, and in both Spanish and English. The sampling error margin was ±4.0% for the 600 statewide sample and ±3.5% for the 800 over 50 sample.

View the full survey results at aarp.org/NVpolling and find all of our state battleground polls at aarp.org/voterpolls24. Read AARP’s coverage of the poll here.

For more information on how, when and where to vote in Nevada, visit aarp.org/NVvotes.