"None of these candidates" has appeared on Nevada election ballots for 34 years, and while always denied victory, it can speak volumes in defeat, giving voters a chance to voice displeasure.
In Tuesday's primary, "none," available to Nevada voters only in statewide races, garnered a collective 135,004 votes in eight separate contests.
"None" came in second in Democratic U.S. Senate primary, drawing 12,335, or 10.6 percent of votes and beating three unknown candidates who challenged Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is seeking a fifth term in November. Reid won with 87,374 votes, or 75 percent.
In the Democratic gubernatorial race, Rory Reid, son of the majority leader, cruised to victory over a little known opponent with 70 percent of votes. "None" also came in second in that race, with 15.3 percent.
Eric Herzik, a political scientist at the University of Nevada, Reno, said having "none" receive double-digit vote percentages sends an unflattering message.
"These are Democrats saying I don't want to vote for you," he said.
It's highest showing was in the Republican primary for state controller, were "none" received 39,372, or 25 percent of votes, coming in third by only 9 votes to second place finisher Gregory Nance Dagani. Barry Herr won that contest with 77,970, or nearly 50 percent of votes cast.
Even the crowded Republican U.S. Senate primary, "none" fared better than seven of the 12 candidates in a contest won by former Sharron Angle, a former state assemblywoman endorsed by Tea Party groups.
Though it didn't sway any outcomes in Tuesday's primary, it has in the past.
In 1998, Harry Reid squeaked out a 428 vote victory over then Republican Rep. John Ensign. In that contest, "none" received 8,125 votes.
Nevada is the only state that has a "none of these candidates" option. It was established by the Legislature in 1975, and first appeared on the ballot in 1976. That year it also had it's first and only victory, trouncing two contenders in the Republican primary for the U.S. House of Representatives.
"None" received 16,097 votes in that primary, beating Walden Earhart and Anthony Dart. But since a vote for none is nonbinding, Earhart advanced to the general election, becoming the only candidate to lose to "none" and being declared the winner. In the general election, Earhart received only 24,124 votes and lost in a six-to-one landslide to Democrat James Santini.