Election integrity: How Nevada ensures safe and secure voting

While elections work differently depending on where you live, all states have security measures to ensure the integrity of every vote. With that in mind, The Fulcrum presents a six-part series on how elections work in swing states. Created by Issue One, these state summaries focus on each state's election process from registration to certification.

Our freedom to vote in fair and secure elections is the foundation of our system of self-governance established under the U.S. Constitution. As citizens, we have a voice that many people around the world do not.

Because the majority of elections are run at a local level, the voting experience can be very different depending on where a voter lives, but all states, including Nevada, have verification processes in place before, during, and after votes are cast to ensure the integrity of the election. Whether you cast your ballot in-person or by mail, early or on Election Day, your vote counts.

Here is what you need to know about how elections work in Nevada to make sure that your vote is kept safe and secure and is counted with integrity.

Registration

To ensure their eligibility, all voters must register to vote in order to cast a ballot.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

• The voter registration deadline in Nevada is October 22nd, 2024 and the deadline to register by mail is October 8, 2024 and in-person registration is available through Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
• For more information: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/voters/registering-to-vote
  

Ways to vote

Once registered, a voter in Nevada may either vote in-person or through an absentee ballot. Both options have transparent processes to ensure ballots are kept secure and counted accurately.

Vote with a mail ballot:

• Nevada is a universal vote by mail state, meaning registered voters in Nevada are automatically sent a ballot in the mail.
• Mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024 and received by the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters not later than 5:00 PM on November 9, 2024 in order to count. Mail ballots may also be delivered by hand to the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters before polls close at 7:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
• For more information about voting with a mail ballot, see here: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/voters/ registering-to-vote

Vote early in-person:

• Early voting starts on Saturday, October 19, 2024 and is available until Friday, November 1, 2024.
• See here for details about early voting in different counties: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election- information/2024-election-information/2024-voting-locations

Vote in-person on Election Day:

• Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
• For same-day registration, voters must bring a valid ID card and any other form of valid identification to vote on Election Day. See here for details: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election-information/same-day- registration

There are also options for military and overseas voting, more information is available here: https://www.nvsos. gov/sos/elections/voters/uniformed-overseas-citizens

Track your ballot: https://nevada.ballottrax.net/voter/

Securely counting every ballot during the voting period

Before, during, and after ballots are cast, Nevada has procedures to review and verify election processes.

• Members of the public may observe voting, preparation of absentee ballots, handling and delivery of all ballots, counting of ballots and post-election audits.
• 48 states conduct some type of post-election audit. Nevada is one of 37 states that require a traditional post- election tabulation audit, involving auditable paper ballots.
• All voting equipment in Nevada must meet rigorous security standards and goes through a series of tests and audits to ensure its safety and accuracy. Nevada’s legal standard is for a voting system to meet or exceed federal standards and to have been certified by the Voting System Testing and Certification Program of the Election Assistance Commission.
• Mail-in ballots also are verified to ensure validity. Election officials check the signature on the absentee ballot envelope against the voter registration signature or other signatures available in the clerk’s records using either an electronic or manual process. A ballot with a signature that matches signatures in the voter’s record are processed and prepared for counting.

Polls close and reporting begins

• Counties typically begin reporting unofficial election results shortly after polls close on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Results are not considered final until the election is certified.
• Results are available on the Nevada Secretary of State page: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election- information/2024-election-information
  

Certifying the election

• The governing body conducting the election must meet to verify that the unofficial results reported in each precinct or election district were accurate. Final results are only declared after election officials go through steps to verify the count, checking for accuracy and resolving any error. During this process, known as canvassing, election officials count every eligible ballot cast, check for duplicates, verify voter status, and give voters a chance to rectify mistakes that might otherwise disqualify their ballot.
• In Nevada, Boards of County Commissioners must meet on or before November 15, 2024 to canvass the returns.
• On November 26, 2024 Justices of the state Supreme Court meet with the Secretary of State to canvass the vote. That same day, Nevada’s Governor issues certificates of election and proclamations declaring the election of candidates
• See: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Documents/CanvassingTheVoteInNevada.pdf

Meeting of the Electoral College

• Nevada’s slate of electors meet on December 17, 2024 to send their certified votes for president and vice president to Congress.

Resources

For more information on how elections work in Nevada,visit the Nevada Secretary of State’s office or register to vote at vote.gov.

For additional national and other state-by-state information, go to https://www.howelectionswork.org/