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Everything To Know About Nevada's Expanded Mail-In Election

Stacked voting cards.
David Calvert
/
The Nevada Independent
In-person voting in Washoe County on June 9, 2020.

Lee en español.

Nevada’s decision to expand mail-in voting for the 2020 general election has become a partisan battleground, after President Donald Trump’s campaign sued to block the election changes put in place by the state’s Democratically-controlled Legislature in a summer special session.

But beyond the headlines, what changes do Nevada voters need to know about before the 2020 general election arrives on Nov. 3?

Similar to the state’s primary election in June, all active registered voters in the state will automatically receive an absentee ballot without having to take any action. But in the most populous counties of the state — Washoe and Clark — voters will also have dozens of locations where they can cast a vote in person if they wish.

But there are several other election-related changes made in AB4— the bill implementing the new election procedures and that was passed on party-lines during the most recent legislative special session. It explicitly authorizes ballot collection from non-family members (derided as “ballot harvesting” by some Republicans) and includes provisions allowing for people to help certain individuals, such as the physically disabled or voters over the age of 65.

The heightened attention and political disagreements over the changes for this upcoming election have led to many questions, speculation and sometimes misinformation about how Nevada will conduct the November election.

Below, The Nevada Independent has compiled and answered a list of frequently asked questions regarding the state’s changes and modifications in place for the 2020 election.

When will I get a mail ballot?

AB4 sets deadlines for when mail ballots have to be sent out, but it’s possible that mail ballots will arrive before then. Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s office says to expect them to be mailed out in late September or early October.

Regardless, the deadlines in the new law require all active voters to be sent a mail-in ballot no later than 20 days before the election, which is Oct. 14. Overseas or military voters are required to receive their ballot no later than 45 days before the election, which is Sept. 19, and voters who live out of state but are still registered to vote in Nevada must receive ballots no later than 40 days before the election, or Sept. 24.

The language around dates in the law refers to mailing deadlines, not when all voters should have their ballots, so it may take a few extra days to receive a mail ballot.

Counties are still finalizing their election plans, but they will eventually be published on the secretary of state’s website here

What happens if I don’t receive a mail ballot?

The secretary of state’s office recommends contacting your local election clerk if you have not received a mail ballot within a week of the expected mail date.

A list of contact information for all county election clerks can be found here.

The office also recommends updating your mailing information ahead of time. Ballots will be mailed to the address on file with the local election office and — importantly — cannot be forwarded to a new address by the U.S. Postal Service. Voters are encouraged to check their registration and address well in advance of Election Day at www.registertovotenv.gov

Read the full story at The Nevada Independent.

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