What you need to know about Nevada’s June primary election
Nevada’s primary election is just over a month away. Here are some common questions related to the June 9 primary:
When is the primary election?
The primary will be June 9, but because of the coronavirus epidemic, the secretary of state and all 17 county voter registrars have decided to conduct the election almost entirely by mail.
What do I have to do to participate?
Nothing. If you are a registered voter, you will get a ballot in the mail automatically. (If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you can check on the secretary of state’s website. You can also register to vote or update your information on that site.)
County officials strongly encourage voters to update their voter registration information with their current address, email and phone number no later than May 12. Officials will use email and telephone to contact voters if there is a problem with their ballot.
You can check if your information is up to date on the secretary of state’s website, or by sending an email to the Clark County elections department at elinfo@ClarkCountyNV.gov or calling the department at 702-455-8683. (Your email address is confidential by law and will not be given to third parties.)
When is the deadline to sign up?
The last day to register to vote or to update your information by mail is May 12. The last day to register or update information online is May 21. You can still register online up until June 4, but if you do, you must vote in person at the Clark County Election Department, and only after presenting ID and proof of residency. The department’s offices are located at 965 Trade Drive, Suite F, North Las Vegas. (Two other in-person voting locations will be announced soon.)
When will I get my ballot?
You should receive a voter packet, including a ballot and return envelope, during the first week of May. If you haven’t received one by May 18, you should contact the Clark County elections department at 702-455-8683.
Where can I find information about the races and candidates?
You can find out about candidates and races on the Review-Journal’s online voter guide.
How do I know what district I live in, and in what races I can vote?
The ballot sent to you will have the races for your particular district. But you can also find out what districts you live in and who your representatives are on the Nevada Legislature’s website or on the R-J’s online voter guide.
How do I return my ballot?
You will fill in the oval bubble next to your preferred candidate’s name with a blue or black ink pen. After you’ve made your choices, put your ballot in the postage-paid envelope that’s been provided. Don’t forget to sign the outside of your envelope! Your vote may be delayed or not counted at all if you don’t sign!
Elections officials strongly urge you to return your ballot by mail. However, you can also drop off your completed ballot at a number of locations around the valley. Addresses and days/hours of operation can be found on the county’s website.
What if I make a mistake, or change my mind when filling out my ballot? Do I need a whole new ballot?
No. If you make a mistake or change your mind in a race, simply cross out the name of the candidate you voted for initially, and then fill in the bubble next to candidate you actually want. Don’t use correction fluid or correction tape.
Can I vote in person if I need to?
You may vote in person, primarily at the Clark County Elections Department at 965 Trade Drive, Suite F, North Las Vegas. Voting takes place every day (including weekends and Memorial Day) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 23 to June 3. Hours are extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 4-5. And on primary Election Day, June 9, you can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There won’t be any voting on the weekend before primary Election Day.
In addition to the elections department office, you may also vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on primary Election Day only at the Desert Breeze Community Center, 8275 Spring Mountain Road, and at the Paradise Recreation Center, 4775 S. McLeod Drive.
What if I blow off all the deadlines, but still want to register or vote on primary Election Day? Can I do that?
Yes, under a change in the law passed during the 2019 Legislature, same day registration is allowed in Nevada. However, you must do so in person on June 9 at the Clark County Elections Department at 965 Trade Drive, Suite F, in North Las Vegas. (You can also register and vote in person on Election Day at the two other locations, once they are announced.)
You will have to provide ID (a Nevada drivers license or ID card with your current address). If your ID doesn’t have your current address, you’ll need to provide proof of residency, such as a military ID, a utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck or income tax return, a mortgage statement or lease agreement, a car registration or a property tax statement.
If you register online after June 4, or register and vote on Election Day, you will only be allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted only after officials determine you are an eligible voter and that you only voted once in the primary. Voting more than once is a felony under Nevada law.
What if I have a disability? How can I vote?
You can register to request an electronic ballot through the Nevada Effective Absentee System for Elections (aka EASE) on the secretary of state’s website, at www.NVEASE.gov. If you register to vote by mail by the May 12 deadline (or online by the May 21 deadline) you can call the county elections department at 702-455-8683 to request an electronic ballot.
I still have questions. Where can I get more information?
The secretary of state’s office has a special website — mailitinnevada.com — with plenty of information and frequently asked questions. You can also find more information online at the Clark County elections department’s website, at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote or by emailing the department at Einfo@ClarkCountyNV.gov or by calling 702-455-8683 or 711 for TTY/TDD devices.
Contact Steve Sebelius at SSebelius@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253. Follow @SteveSebelius on Twitter.
