During early voting, more than a million Nevadans voted and thousands more are expected to show up to the polls to vote Tuesday.
“Actually, so far in Nevada, it’s been a really exciting year to see the enthusiasm and resilience of voters this year,” said Kerry Durmick, the Nevada State Director of All Voting is Local.
All Voting is Local is a nonprofit that works to protect and expand voting rights.
Durmick said despite the pandemic and rampant misinformation about the voting process voters have shown up at the polls and mailed in their ballots in record numbers.
There haven't been any reports of attempts to suppress voting in Nevada, but Durmick said if you do see something you can call 866-OUR-VOTE to report it.
She credits the jump in voting to AB4, which is the law the Legislature passed in the summer that created the mail-in ballot system. Under it, all active, registered voters in the state received a mail-in ballot.
In addition, both Washoe and Clark Counties have expanded their in-person voting sites. There will be 35 in Washoe County and 1 25 in Clark County, Durmick said.
“I think just having so many different options this year, you can mail it in, you can drop it off or you can vote in person, I think having so many different options this year is creating more access for the state,” she said.
While there are a variety of ways to cast a ballot this year, Durmick said there are important deadlines for people to understand. Those in Clark or Washoe Counties can drop off their ballots today or on Election Day at their respective county election departments.
Voters can also drop off mail-in ballots at any polling site on Election Day.
Those in rural counties can go to the Secretary of State's office website to see where they can drop off ballots.
If you plan on mailing in your ballot, Durmick reminded everyone that it MUST be postmarked no later than November 3 for it to be counted. Ballot counting has already begun and will continue through November 12. The election results will be certified on November 16.
“If we do not have a result tomorrow, it’s okay. Don’t worry. This is a very different election than we’ve ever seen before,” Durmick said.
She said we have to give election workers enough time to count all the ballots in a year that has been unprecedented.
You can also sign up for Ballot Traxthrough the Secretary of State website. The system will alert you when your ballot is received and when it is counted.
For those who want to vote in person on Election Day, Durmick said it is safe and election officials have gone above and beyond to take all the safety measures they can to keep voting machines clean and to maintain social distancing.
"I want everybody to know that it is safe," she said, "The machines will be six feet apart. The machines will be sanitized by the poll workers at every single location. Every location will be following six-feet apart in the line as well."
She said her organization is encouraging people to wear masks when they vote, but if they decide not to do that the poll workers will take extra care to make sure the unmasked voter is separated from other voters.
For those who aren't registered to vote, you can register to vote at a polling site on Election Day, Durmick said. She said people need to bring identification, but if the address on your ID is different than your current address bring proof of address like a utility bill.
Also this year, people who have served time in prison for a felony offense can also get their voting rights back. The Nevada Legislature passed a bill in the last legislative session allowing for felons to register to vote.
Durmick and her organization are pleased with Nevada's decision to expand mail-in balloting. She sees it as a way to expand voting access.
“I think this is a great way to expand access to voting here in Nevada to voters in the future,” she said.
Not including the votes that will be cast tomorrow, Nevada is 70,000 votes away from surpassing the total votes cast in 2016, Durmick said.
"I think voters in Nevada are very, very excited to get out and make their voices heard, but also, I think the governor and the state legislature passing AB4 as really created so much more access to voting and our democracy here in Nevada."
Kerry Durmick, Nevada State Director, All Voting Is Local
