Minority voters are turning out in strong numbers to caucus in Nevada on Saturday, while a larger number of liberals were showing up than in 2008, according to early entrance poll results.
The early entrance polls reflect the views of the first few caucusgoers to arrive at each surveyed caucus site, and those arriving early aren’t always similar to those who arrive at just before the doors close. These numbers may change as the final caucusgoers are incorporated after doors have closed.
A large number of older attendees were also showing up to the caucuses, according to polling, with about 30% of attendees being 65 or older, and about 70% older than 45.
About 50% of attendees said they wanted the next president to continue President Barack Obama’s policies, but 41% of attendees said they wanted someone more liberal.
Early poll results found about 64% of attendees were white, 17% Latino, 12% black and 4% Asian. Minority voter turnout is higher than in previous Democratic contests, according to the early entrance poll results.
About 70% of caucusgoers identified as liberal, compared with 30% who identified as moderate or conservative, according to the early results. In 2008, caucus attendees were split almost evenly between liberal and moderate or conservative.
Non-white voters play a larger role in the Nevada caucuses than in Iowa and in New Hampshire, where the largely white population broke heavily for Bernie Sanders, and could be more indicative of how the Hillary Clinton and him will perform in South Carolina a week from now.
Clinton handily beat Obama among Latino attendees there in 2008, according to entrance polling from that contest.
She also performed well with women and attendees older than 60 in 2008, while Obama won men and younger attendees there. However then-Sen. John Edwards was still in the race when the Nevada caucuses were held, and he pulled in a sizable share of attendees between 30 and 44 years old.