# Nevada's 1st Senate district

Nevada's 1st Senate district is one of 21 districts in the Nevada Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Pat Spearman since 2012.

## Geography and demographics

District 1 is located just north of Las Vegas in Clark County, including much of North Las Vegas and smaller sections of Sunrise Manor and Las Vegas itself.
The district is entirely located within Nevada's 4th congressional district, and overlaps with the 1st and 17th districts of the Nevada Assembly. It has a surface area of 48.5 square miles (126 km$^2$) and a perimeter of 33 miles (53 km).
According to the 2010 Census, the district had a population of 128,861 – 0.2% below the ideal – which has since increased. Compared to other districts in the Senate, District 1 has the third smallest solely white population and the largest population of African Americans. The district has a younger population than average with nearly 65% of the population below the age of 40. The median household income in the district is almost $10,000 above the Nevada average, while the poverty rate is 10.5%.

## Recent election results

Nevada Senators are elected to staggered four-year terms; since 2012 redistricting, the 1st district has held elections in presidential years.

### 2024

2024 Nevada State Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michelee Crawford | 40,066 | 58.97 |
| | Republican | Patricia Brinkley | 27,880 | 41.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 67,946 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 Nevada State Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Pat Spearman (incumbent) | 51,648 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,648 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

In 2016, Spearman faced entrepreneur and political newcomer Arsen Ter-Petrosyan. Neither faced opponents in their respective primaries. Spearman won the election with over 65% of the vote.
2016 Nevada State Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Pat Spearman (incumbent) | 33,688 | 65.4 |
| | Republican | Arsen Ter-Petrosyan | 17,800 | 34.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,488 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

In the 2012 Democratic primary, two-term incumbent John Jay Lee was challenged by veteran and former evangelical minister Pat Spearman. Spearman, who is LGBT, had never previously held political office and argued that the district needed a "real Democrat." Lee, a Mormon who opposed gay marriage, said he wasn't worried by Spearman, as he thought Spearman had been "encouraged to run by supporters of single issues like gay rights." Spearman won the primary with 63% of the vote.
No Republican filed for the seat, and Spearman's lone opponent was Gregory Hughes, a member of the Independent American Party, whom she defeated easily.
2012 Nevada State Senate election, District 1 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Pat Spearman | 2,244 | 63.0 |
| | Democratic | John Jay Lee (incumbent) | 1,318 | 37.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,562 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Pat Spearman | 29,026 | 68.7 |
| | Independent American | Gregory Hughes | 13,221 | 31.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 42,247 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Federal and statewide results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 58.5 – 35.4% |
| 2018 | Senate | Rosen 60.1 – 37.5% |
| 2018 | Governor | Sisolak 60.2 – 34.4% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 58.5 – 35.4% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 62.7 – 35.8% |
| 2012 | Senate | Berkley 55.4 – 35.0% |

## History

District 1 was created when the senatorial districts were redrawn in 2011 as a result of the 2010 Census. The new districts went into effect on January 1, 2012 for filing for office, and for nominating and electing senators. They became effective for all other purposes on November 7 of the same year – the day after Election Day, when the new terms began. The law defines the borders District 1 using census tracts, block groups, and blocks. Since its creation, two elections have been held in the district. Most of the district was previously in the districts Clark County 1 and Clark County 12.

### Clark County District 1

From the 1960s to the 1980s, the district was based along the Colorado River and Henderson, which are now the 12th and 5th districts respectively. In the 1990s, it consisted of all Clark County outside of the Las Vegas Valley, including Indian Springs, Boulder City, Sandy Valley, and Mesquite.

## List of representatives

| Representative | Party | Years | Legislative Session | District Home | Notes |
| District created | District created | October 2011 | | | renamed (formerly Clark County 1) |
| Pat Spearman | Democratic | Jan 2013- | 77th- | North Las Vegas | Defeat incumbent Democrat John Jay Lee |