Nevada counties can start tallying votes cast through mail-in ballots 14 days before the general election on Nov. 3, with the first results released after polls close on Election Day, election officials said.
In Clark County, the initial results will include ballots received by mail through Nov. 2 and cast in person during early voting, which runs Oct. 17-30, Registrar Joe Gloria said.
The final results, however, aren’t expected until “several days” after the election, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office.
As long as mail-in ballots are postmarked by Nov. 3 and received no later than seven days after the election, they will be counted.
Gloria said Clark County can process 40,000 to 50,000 mail-in ballots daily.
Nevada’s 1,682,436 active voters will automatically receive a ballot in the mail after the state expanded mail-in voting because of pandemic safety concerns.
Nevada overseas voters started receiving ballots this week, and ballots will be mailed locally Oct. 7, Gloria said. (If you were expecting a ballot and didn’t receive one, call 702-455-VOTE).
But just because you receive a ballot in the mail, doesn’t mean you have to vote by mail. You can still vote at the polls on Election Day or during early voting.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to vote,” Gloria said.
To vote in person, voters must bring their mail-in ballot to the polling place and turn it in to election officials. Those who can’t produce their ballot will be asked to sign a document stating that they aren’t voting twice.
It’s illegal to vote by both mail and in-person and punishable by to up to four years in prison.
Voters can verify their ballot was received by using the online tool or by calling 702-455-VOTE.
Those voting by mail should make sure to read the instructions carefully. Voters must sign the outside of the envelope on the signature line before returning it, as signatures are matched to the voter registration rolls to verify the vote. Also, it’s only one ballot per envelope.
During the primary in June, hundreds of residents put two ballots in one envelope to return to the county, Gloria said. They were attempting to save officials postage money. That voids the ballots.