ELECTORAL VOTES 5

2008 ELECTION Swing State

ABOUT
NEVADA

Nevada gained statehood in October 1864, one of two states to join the Union during the Civil War. In the 1864 election, Nevada ended up with an anomalous two electoral votes, when the third elector was snowbound. Since the new state’s legislature had not yet convened, there was no mechanism to select a replacement. The state had three electoral votes through 1980. The population of the Silver State has more than tripled since 1980, bringing its number of electoral votes to five. That figure may rise to six in the 2012 contest, pending the result of the 2010 census. Although Republicans have won eight of the last 10 elections here, the influx of population has put Nevada squarely into the swing state category. In 2004, Nevadans voted for George W. Bush over John Kerry by a margin of 51% to 48%.