VOTER ELIGIBILITY
Can I vote in Nevada?
You can vote in the election if you meet the following qualifications:
- Be a U.S. citizen;
- Be at least 18 years old by the date of the next election (or at least 17 years old if preregistering to vote);
- Have continuously resided in Nevada and the county for at least 30 days before the next election;
- Have continuously resided in the precinct for at least 10 days before the next election; and
- You haven’t been declared by a court to be mentally incompetent unless you’ve had your legal capacity restored.
What if I’m a student?
You can register to vote at your school address or your home address, whichever you consider your primary legal residence.
What if I’ve been convicted of a crime?
Nevada residents who are not currently incarcerated are able to vote. The restoration of voting rights is automatic and immediate upon the individual’s release from prison, regardless of the category of felony committed or whether the individual is still on parole or probation. There is no waiting period or action required by the individual.
What if I’m experiencing houselessness?
You don’t need a home to register, but you must identify a place of residence, which can be a street corner, a park, a shelter, or any other place where you reside. If the place you are staying does not have a street address or you don’t stay in only one place, you can still register. You must identify the place where you usually stay, which could be a street corner, park, or shelter. You should also provide an address, which may be of a local shelter, advocacy organization, outreach center, or anywhere else willing to accept mail on your behalf.
If you are a first-time voter, you will need to present proof of identity and residency at the time you register or vote. If you are homeless or do not have a traditional street address, you may sign a sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury to prove your identity and residence.
What if I have moved since the last election?
You should update your registration every time you move, either with the county elections office or at the DMV. If you missed the traditional deadlines to update your registration, you can still use Same-Day Registration during Early Voting and on Election Day.
REGISTERING TO VOTE
How do I register?
You can register to vote:
- In-person at your local county clerk’s office
- By mailing a voter registration form to your local county clerk or the Nevada Secretary of State Elections Division
- When you apply for services at the Department of Motor Vehicles and state agencies that provide public assistance (such as Medicaid, WIC, and food stamps) or services to people with disabilities
- Online
You can get voter registration forms from your local county clerk, most libraries, post offices, colleges/high schools, or on the Secretary of State’s website. You may also be able to register at many other state and federal offices and agencies.
Military and Overseas Voters
Military and other overseas citizens may utilize the standard procedure for absentee voting by mail. However, there are special provisions for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and merchant marines, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These provisions also pertain to family members of all these groups and other citizens who reside outside of the United States. Combined, these groups are called Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters.
UOCAVA voters can register to vote online. Voters who register through this method must request an absentee ballot separately, at which time they will provide their country clerk their current overseas or military post address.
VOTING EARLY
Can I vote before Election Day?
Yes. Any registered voter can vote before Election Day by returning a mail ballot early or by casting a ballot in person at an early voting site.
How do I get an absentee ballot?
All registered voters are able to request an absentee ballot. However, all active voters in Nevada will receive a mail ballot automatically this year. Ensure your registration is up-to-date 28 days before the election to receive a mail ballot.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
When are the polls open?
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You have the right to vote if you’re in line or inside your polling place when the polls close.
Can I get time off from work to vote?
Maybe. If your work schedule would make it practically impossible for you to vote in-person while the polls are open, your employer is required to give you time off to vote, without penalty or deduction in your wages. You should ask your employer for time off before Election Day. Your employer has the right to specify which hours you get to take.
Where do I vote?
The Secretary of State’s website has a detailed listing of voting locations.
What if my polling place is not accessible?
All polling places are required to be ADA-compliant. You may bring one or more people to assist you. You have the right to receive assistance from anyone as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union.
Can I get a ballot in my native language?
Some counties in Nevada are required to provide language assistance in Spanish, Shoshone, Paiute, or other Native American languages. Contact your county clerk before Election Day to find out what is available in your area. In places where language assistance is required, poll workers should offer this assistance; if they do not, tell a poll worker that you want assistance. You are entitled to a translation of all ballots and other election materials.
Even if language assistance is not available where you vote, you have the right to bring an interpreter with you to the polls or to get language assistance from anyone you choose, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union.
What if I need help in the voting booth?
If you need help because of a physical disability or because you have difficulty reading or writing in English, tell a poll worker when you get to your polling place.
You have the right to have any consenting person you choose to assist you in the voting booth, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union.
If you need instructions on how to use the voting equipment, ask a poll worker for help. Poll workers are required to help you at any time you ask — even after you have entered the voting booth.
VOTER ID
Do I have to show my ID?
Probably not. Most voters will not need to show ID at all. You only need to show ID if:
- This is your first time voting in a federal election in Nevada;
- You registered to vote by mail; and
- You did not provide any ID either when you registered or after receiving a letter from your county clerk indicating that there are problems with your registration.
What are the accepted forms of ID?
Accepted forms of ID include a current and valid Nevada Driver's License, Nevada ID card, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or other document issued by a government entity with your name and residential address.
What if I do not have any ID?
You can cast a provisional ballot, but that ballot will not be counted unless you bring your ID to your county clerk by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 10.
PROBLEMS AT THE POLLS
What if I am not on the voter list?
You may have to update your registration using Same-Day Registration.
What if someone challenges my right to vote?
If someone claims that you aren’t who you say you are or that you don’t live at your address on the voter list, ask for an affidavit to sign in order to swear to your identity or your place of residence. For challenges to your identity, you should show your photo ID or bring someone over 18 who has a photo ID and will sign an affidavit swearing that they know who you are. For challenges to your place of residence, show an ID other than your voter registration card that has your residence on it. You have the right to cast a regular ballot if you provide this evidence.
However, even if you refuse to sign an affidavit or election officials determine that you don’t live at the address that the registrar has on file for you, you must be allowed to vote at the special polling place that your county clerk is required to set up for challenged voters.
What if someone tries to intimidate or harass me?
Tell a poll worker. If there is a problem, tell a poll watcher to call your county clerk or the Election Protection Hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE / 888-VE-Y-VOTA.
What if I make a mistake on my ballot or the voting machine malfunctions?
Tell a poll worker before you cast your vote. If your voting machine malfunctions, you have a right to correct any errors and should request a different machine.
How do I make a complaint?
Call the Election Protection Hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE / 888-VE-Y-VOTA.
