LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Early voting has come and gone in Clark County, but not without a last-minute rush to the polls on its last day.
"It's an honor to be able to vote early," said early voter Karen Finley. "A lot of my ancestors died so I could vote, so that's why I'm here."
Finley voted with Jody Rose at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex polling place near the 215 and Durango in the Northwest Valley. She said she's voted early every election since becoming a Nevada resident four years ago, but she and Rose usually make it to the polls a little earlier than the last day.
"Of course to beat the crowds a bit today, and I unfortunately get off work kind of late so we came on the end of the working week," Rose said.
Early voter Isaiah Lawson was in the same situation.
"I've kind of just been procrastinating for the most part, and I saw it on the news that early voting ends tomorrow, I was like yeah let me hurry up and get up because Tuesday's probably going to be even more hectic because it's election day," Lawson said.
As of 8 a.m. Friday, the Nevada Secretary of State's Office said 945,436 voters cast their ballots in person or by mail, accounting for 46.5% of eligible registered voters statewide.
We caught up with "Q" in downtown Las Vegas, who said he was part of the 53.5% of voters who haven't cast a ballot yet, but he says he still plans on sending in his ballot before next Tuesday.
"Definitely before," Q said. "We're going to get our voice heard, because that's our right you feel me?"
Isaac De La Cruz is visiting Las Vegas from Wisconsin, and said he plans to vote as soon as he gets back home.
"If you want something then you've got to vote for it, it's not just the next four years it's the future," De La Cruz said.
He said his work schedule has gotten in the way of voting to this point.
"I've been working 14 hours before I came out here, so kind of that," De La Cruz said. "As soon as I get back though I'm planning on it."
But other early voters like Heather Osipowicz say they took time off of work to vote Friday with her three-year-old daughter, and think the turnout so far is empowering.
"I got to go with my parents as well when I was young, and I'm excited for her to see what the process looks like here in the U.S. and what her future looks like," Osipowicz said.
If you didn't cast your vote by the end of early voting, you still have time to make your voice heard: polling places open up at 7 a.m. on Election Day Tuesday.
For a full list of polling places and to find the closest near you, click here.
