Government Workers Are High-Turnout Voters
The federal government employs about 2.68 million civilians, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The top three states by share of federal employment are Hawaii (5.0%), Maryland (4.7%), and Virginia (4.0%). Wisconsin has the lowest share at 0.95%.
Nevada has roughly 21,000 federal civilian jobs, 1.3% of the state’s nonfarm employment.
That relatively modest footprint means Nevada is less economically dependent on federal payrolls than places like Hawaii. It still shapes debates over federal land, defense spending, and state-versus-federal power in an economy built on tourism, gaming, and private-sector growth.
Government workers are high-turnout voters. Census Bureau data show 76% of citizen government employees voted in 2024, versus 65% of all U.S. citizens. That gap makes public workers, including the 2.68 million federal civilians, a concentrated voting bloc in the states where they cluster.
