RENO, Nev. — All Voting is Local Nevada and Nevada Native Vote Project today urged Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, Elko County Clerk Kristine Jakeman, and Humboldt County Clerk Tami Rae Spero to add in-person voting sites and ballot drop boxes closer to the Tribal communities in Elko and Humboldt Counties.
In the letters to Elko and Humboldt county election officials, advocates shared new findings from an All Voting is Local data analysis revealing that travel times to voting locations are on average twice as long for Native American residents as white residents.
In the letter to Elko county election officials, advocates wrote: “As the 2020 general election is already underway in Nevada with vote-by-mail ballots being mailed out and early voting starting this week, it is important to take these commonsense and nonpartisan steps to guarantee that all of Elko County’s Native voters have access to early voting sites and drop box locations, and to ensure that voters are not forced to choose between their health and their fundamental right to vote.”
The letters urge the following updates to ensure that Native American voters have equitable access to safe and secure voting options in the two counties:
- Add an in-person voting option for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, and a ballot drop box location on or near the Duck Valley Reservation.
- Add an in-person voting option for the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, and a ballot drop box location on or near the Fort McDermitt Reservation.**
The letters, which include an analysis of travel times to voting locations in the two counties, can be found here for Elko County and here for Humboldt County.
**UPDATE: Humboldt County officials have added a ballot drop-off location near the Fort McDermitt Reservation! Details for the site are listed below: