Some Nevada cities could go all-mail for municipal elections

CARSON CITY — The U.S. Postal Service may be getting more business in election season.

Major cities in Southern Nevada could conduct municipal elections entirely by mail-in ballots if Senate Bill 93 becomes law.

The bill is intended to increase voter participation in municipal elections, making it more convenient, said Sabrina Mercadante, president of the Nevada Municipal Clerk’s Association. Mercadante, also the Henderson city clerk, spoke Wednesday to the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee.

The bill would provide the mail ballot option to Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Caliente and Yerington. The bill would give cities the option to use that method for municipal primary and general elections in odd-numbered years.

Current law allows for city elections with all mail ballots in limited cases, such as special elections, an election limited to one ward, or a single ballot question. If passed, the bill would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or (775) 461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.