The Voting Power of Nevada Union Members

Labor union members form a highly mobilized voting bloc in Nevada. Unions represent workers in hospitality, healthcare, education, construction, and public safety. Nevada has roughly 189,000 union members. This is 13% of the workforce and well above the national average of 10%. In a state often decided by narrow margins, these members deliver high turnout and grassroots energy that frequently influences election outcomes.

The Culinary Workers Union, Nevada’s largest union, represents 60,000 hospitality workers. These workers include housekeepers, servers, cooks, and bartenders, many employed in Las Vegas casinos and resorts. Known for its effective member-driven operation, the union mobilizes voters through door-knocking, phone banking, and mail ballot collection. With roughly 70% turnout among its members, Culinary helps secure narrow victories for Democratic candidates, the party it exclusively supports.

SEIU (20,000 healthcare workers) and AFSCME (15,000 government employees) also turn out their members reliably for Democratic candidates, focusing on workers' compensation, benefits, staffing ratios, and collective bargaining rights.

Nevada’s teacher unions, the NSEA, CCEA, and WCEA, represent about 30,000 educators. These classroom teachers actively vote and support candidates who prioritize school funding. They often engage heavily in both local and statewide races.

Nevada’s major police and fire unions, including the LVPPA, RPPA, PFFN, and NPU, represent thousands of police officers and firefighters. While often aligned with “law and order” priorities, these members pragmatically back candidates who support better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Construction and building trades unions (LIUNA, IBEW, and AFL-CIO) mobilize members who build major projects. They have successfully pushed for union jobs on stadium deals like Allegiant Stadium and the Las Vegas A’s project while delivering voter turnout for pro-labor policies.

Overall, Nevada’s union members function as one of the state’s most reliable and organized voting groups. In tight races, their high participation, focused on wages, healthcare, retirement security, and job protections, continues to shape outcomes and keep labor a central force in Nevada politics.