Nevada Voting Guide

If this is your first time voting or you recently moved to Nevada, you should familiarize yourself with the state’s voting laws. Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, review Nevada’s special voting rules and requirements before election day.

Some of the questions voters in Nevada may have include the following:

• Can all Americans vote using an absentee ballot?
• Does Nevada offer early voting?
• Can anyone vote in a primary election?
• Does the Nevada Senate allow mail-in ballots?

This Nevada Voter Guide will help answer these questions and explain how Nevada addresses special accommodations for people with a disability. This article will provide specific election information, such as voter eligibility, voter registration, and other helpful details.

Who is eligible to vote in Nevada?

To be eligible to vote in Nevada, you must meet specific criteria.

These requirements include the following:

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be at least 18 years old on Election Day
• Must have lived in Nevada for at least 30 days
• Must live in the precinct where you will be voting at least ten days before the election
• Must be registered to vote in Nevada

You cannot register and vote if:

• You are currently in prison for a felony offense
• The courts have deemed you mentally incompetent

Nevada voters should be aware that if they fail to vote in two consecutive federal elections, the local county clerk/Registrar of Voters will cancel their voter registration. They must re-register if they want to vote.

To see if you’re registered to vote, visit Nevada’s Secretary of State voting site.

When is Nevada’s voter registration deadline?

Visit the Elections Resource page on the Secretary of State’s website to see the specific deadlines for voter registration by mail, in person, or online.

What is early voting?

Registered voters can vote early at any polling place in their county that offers early voting. The early voting period runs for 14 days. See the early voting information on the Secretary of State’s website for the exact dates for early voting and polling places in your county.

How do I request an absentee ballot in Nevada?

If you are a military member or live overseas, you can use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot.

Any registered voter may request to vote by mail (absentee ballot). Complete and submit the Absent Ballot Request Form and return it to your county clerk or Registrar of Voters.

If you are a first-time voter, you will need photo identification and proof of residency to demonstrate your identity and residency.

Clark County has special voter registration rules. Effective January 1, 2020, Clark County registered voters can make a one-time request to receive a mail-in/absentee ballot for all future elections. This request will be effective if you keep your address current with the Elections Department.

The county clerk or Registrar of Voters must receive your written absentee ballot request by 7 p.m. (5 p.m. in Clark County) at least two weeks before Election Day.

For questions about absentee voting, call the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (775) 684-5705.

What should I bring to the polls in Nevada?

There are specific things you must bring with you to the polling place. You must bring a photo ID in the following situations:

• You are voting for the first time in a federal election
• You registered to vote by mail and didn’t provide identification

You’ll also need to prove your identification and residency. Any of the following current and valid documents are acceptable as proof:

Identification

• Nevada driver’s license
• ID card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles
• Military ID
• Employee ID card issued by a sheriff of a Nevada county
• ID card issued by an agency of the State of Nevada, a public school, college, or university
• Student ID card from an accredited private school, college, or university
• United States passport
• Tribal ID card

Residency documents

• Any of the IDs listed above
• Utility bill, phone bill, cable bill
• Bank statement, mortgage document, lease or income tax return, property tax statement
• Paycheck
• Motor vehicle registration
• Government document
• Any other official document that the county clerk determines, at their discretion, to be a reliable indication of the valid address of the person

If you don’t have this documentation, you can still vote. Poll workers will give you a provisional ballot. Take this ballot and an acceptable form of ID to your county clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on the Friday after Election Day. If you don’t do this, your vote won’t count.

Are special accommodations available to voters with disabilities?

Every polling place in Nevada has at least one voting station accessible to older adults and persons with disabilities. When you arrive, let the poll worker know you want to use the ADA-compliant voting booth.

The accessible voting machines have audio units and breath-response capabilities. All voting machines have large-print capability.

A voter can bring someone with them or ask for assistance with entering the polling location, checking in, entering the voting booth, marking their ballot, exiting the booth, and checking out. You can get assistance from a poll worker, a person who is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an agent of your labor union.

If you have difficulty reading or understanding English, you can ask for language assistance. The poll workers can provide translated materials. The law requires some Nevada counties to offer language assistance in Spanish, Shoshone, Paiute, and other native languages.

You can contact your county clerk before election day to see what they offer. Bringing an interpreter with you is permitted.

What if I see something illegal at the polls?

If someone tries to intimidate or harass you at the polls, tell a poll worker or ask for the chairman of the Election Board at your voting location. If you have acceptable documentation, you can cast a regular ballot.

Ask for an affidavit if someone challenges your right to vote based on identification or residence. If you do not want to sign the affidavit, you can vote at a particular polling place for challenged voters.

There may be poll watchers at your polling place who can help you. They cannot ask who you are voting for.

If you don’t believe the poll workers or watchers treated you fairly, call your county clerk or the Election Protection Hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE / 888-VE-Y-VOTA.

You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A Voting Rights Lawyer Can Help

If you aren’t sure about your eligibility to vote, a civil rights lawyer can help. They can also help protect your voting rights.

If you believe someone has violated your civil rights, an attorney can help protect your interests. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help.