Friday, May 27, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Early voting begins Saturday in Nevada ahead of the June 14 primary, where Republican races for governor and U.S. Senate could be heavily contested.
There are 84 contested races with 340 candidates to choose from in Clark County. Primary races involve federal, state and local offices.
The primary will pave the way to what is expected to be a historic, significant midterm election in November. Many nationally are keeping an eye on what’s happening here, as Republicans have a chance to flip control of the U.S. House and the Senate if they win Nevada’s congressional seats, most of which are now held by Democrats.
Nevada’s electoral process has changed significantly over the last few years, where voters automatically receive mail-in ballots and same-day voter registration is available at polling places.
Here is what you need to know:
Register to vote — it’s your civic duty!
It’s super easy to register to vote, and thanks to recent legislation, Nevada is a same-day voter registration state, which means you can register the same day you go to vote. If you prefer, you can register online here. If you want to do same-day voter registration, you’ll need to bring a valid Nevada driver’s license or ID card, and you must vote in-person at a polling location. If your driver’s license or ID card does not have your current residential address, you will need to present a valid proof of residence.
Update your registration
Have you moved? Changed your name? Make sure you update your voter registration status at RegisterToVote.NV.gov. You can also change your party affiliation up to 60 days before the election. It’s too late for the primary, but there’s time for the midterms in November.
Where do I go to vote?
There’s a list of all the early voting sites on Clark County’s website. The direct link is https://bit.ly/3wQuWtl.
What about voting by mail?
Nevada uses an automatic mail-ballot system, so every active registered voter will receive a mail ballot unless they choose to opt out. If you want to vote in person and not receive a mail-ballot for the upcoming primary, it’s too late now. But you can still opt out here for future elections.
The deadline for ballots to be mailed was Wednesday, so you should be receiving a mail ballot soon if you haven’t already. If you have not received your ballot in Clark County by Saturday, call the election department at 702-455-8683 or email the department at [email protected].
Once you fill out your ballot, you can mail it back in or drop it off at any of the 216 mail ballot drop-off locations in Clark County . Every early voting site also serves as a completed ballot drop-off site. You also can drop off your ballot through June 9 at the Clark County Election Office or city hall in Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite or North Las Vegas. Dropped off ballots will be accepted at the Clark County Election Department June 10, 13 and 14. For a listing of the mail ballot drop-off locations and hours, go to https://bit.ly/3GoGveb.
If you are returning your mail ballot via the U.S. Postal Service, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day, June 14, and it must be received by the Election Department on or before 5 p.m. June 18.
How do I check to see my vote has been counted?
You can track your mail ballot by logging in to https://bit.ly/3PHYpgr, and selecting “Track my Mail Ballot” from the dropdown menu.
What should I do with the mail ballot if I want to vote in person?
Take your mail ballot with you to the early voting site and surrender it. If you forget to bring it with you, you’ll be asked to sign an affidavit saying that you attest that you have not voted previously under penalty of perjury.
What races am I voting on?
A full list of all the races for voters in Clark County is available at https://bit.ly/3LSDoMR.
For a sample ballot, you can go to https://bit.ly/3PHYpgr and log in.
Nevada’s primaries are closed, meaning if you’re a Democrat or Republican, you can only vote for candidates from your own party as well as candidates in nonpartisan races. If you are anything other than Democrat or Republican, you can vote only in nonpartisan races.
When should I vote?
Early voting sites are less crowded at the beginning of the early voting period and generally during the mid-afternoon and evenings for the entire early voting period, according to Clark County’s website.
On Election Day, poll centers are less crowded mid-morning or mid-afternoon and are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you’re in line when the polls close, you’ll still be able to vote.
What are the rules about campaigning and poll watching?
“Electioneering,” such as posting signs, distributing literature, soliciting signatures and using loudspeakers, is not allowed within 100 feet of the voting area.
Anyone can observe voting at a voting site. If you want to watch, ask for the “team leader” at a voting site, who will direct you to a designated location. You have to sign a form at the voting site confirming that you will not talk to voters within the site, not use your phone or a computer, not advocate for or against a candidate or party, not argue with election personnel and not interfere with the conduct of voting.
Have more questions?
Contact the Clark County Election Department at 702-455-8683 or [email protected] if you have more questions. There’s also a lot of information available on the department’s website, https://bit.ly/3LQa61p.
