By Chris Kahn
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders appears to have an early edge in the Nevada Democratic Caucus, according to polling agency Edison Research.
Edison, which compiles voter polls and live election results for media organizations including ABC News, CBS News, CNN, NBC News and Reuters, said its polling of early voters and state caucus goers shows Sanders "leads in the first preference" vote.
Nevada will award Democratic delegates after party members state their preferences at hundreds of caucus locations around the state. Many Democrats may eventually switch their choice during the caucus meeting if the candidate they support does not garner enough interest.
Here are some highlights from the Edison poll, which was based on interviews with 1,780 Nevada Democrats as they entered early voting sites earlier in the week and another 468 at caucus locations at 30 locations around the state:
** Most of Nevada's caucus goers came with their minds made up. Nearly eight out of 10 Democratic caucus goers said they made their pick for the party's presidential nomination.
** Half of those participating in the Democratic caucus are doing so for the first time. A record number of Democrats are expected to show up at the Nevada caucuses, in part because of population growth in the state and also the party's decision to allow residents to vote early this year for the first time.
** Six out of 10 say that when picking a candidate to support, they are thinking mostly about that person's electability instead of whether the candidate agrees with them on major issues.
** Six out of 10 said they support replacing all private health insurance with a single government plan. That initiative, also known as Medicare for All, is a signature issue for Sanders and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. It was criticized earlier this month by the state's 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union in what was seen as a boost for more moderate Democrats who are still in the race.
** Four out of 10 Democratic Nevada caucus goers say healthcare is the issue that mattered most to them when deciding which candidate to support. Three in 10 said it was climate change.
Edison will update its results later in the day after the caucuses have ended.