On Feb. 6, Democrats will vote in a presidential preference primary — the first in more than four decades in Nevada after lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 to transition the state from a caucus to a primary system.

Why should I care?

This election will allow Democratic voters to voice their preference for who they believe should be the party’s nominee for president. While Nevada has a small number of delegates, the state’s primary is the first in the West, and a win here could give a candidate greater momentum and media attention before other primaries take place.

Why it matters:

The The results of this primary election will determine how the state’s presidential delegates will be awarded at the national Democratic nominating convention, with delegates allocated proportionally to vote share.

Who can vote?

The presidential primary is considered a closed primary, meaning it is limited to only registered Democratic voters. Those registered as nonpartisan or with another party are not eligible to vote in this election

But same-day voter registration is in effect during the presidential primaries, which means anyone who is otherwise eligible to vote can register as a Democrat to vote during the early voting period or on Election Day.

Who’s in the running?

President Joe Biden is the presumptive favorite, but he faces challenges from self-help author Marianne Williamson and other long-shot candidates. Learn more about the candidates below.

When will voting take place?

Alongside Election Day voting on Feb. 6, early voting will run from Saturday, Jan. 27, through Friday, Feb. 2.

Mail ballots, which are sent to every active registered Democratic voter, must be distributed by Jan. 17, which is 20 days prior to Election Day.

Voters eligible to use the Effective Absentee System for Elections (EASE) — which includes military, overseas and tribal voters — will have access to the online system by Dec. 23, which is 45 days before Election Day.