With just 12 days left to early voting and four weeks remaining before election day, Nevada candidates and their supporters are focusing on the factor that could mean the difference between victory and defeat: voter turnout.

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., predicted a few weeks ago the Reid-Angle race could be determined by as few as 5,000 votes, and the Titus-Heck race in NV-3 is also shaping up to be a nail-biter.

Because the two races are so close, the Republicans have concerns about turnout and the “none of these candidates” ballot option, not to mention GOP worry about “Tea Party of Nevada” candidate Scott Ashjian. Get-out-the-vote efforts are therefore well under way, especially with early voting set to begin in just about two weeks.

Fifty-eight percent of those who voted in the 2008 general election in Nevada chose to vote early.

The Clark County Republican Party, Nevada’s largest county party, says it is recruiting more precinct captains to help walk communities, as well as seeking more volunteers to help out on the phone banks.

“We have less than three weeks until early voting begins, and we need to reach as many of the Clark County voters as possible before October 16,” said an email from the new county chairman, Frank Ricotta.

Democrats are working to get out the vote as well. Last week the Reid campaign sent out an email urging Democrats to register to vote. On Friday, Lilly Ledbetter, the namesake of an equal pay measure signed into law by President Obama in 2009, also made get-out-the-vote calls on behalf of Reid.

This Saturday is the deadline for voters to register online in Clark County or by mail statewide. Voters have until Oct. 12 to register in person.