Op-ed by Lisa Noeth | Photo: Alamy
Voter ID and mail-in ballots have become a hot topic since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020 presidential election exposed the issues of mail-in ballots and the lack of verifying in-person voting with voter ID, specifically in Nevada. All eyes were on Clark County with Nevada being one of the last states to call the presidential election.
On May 24, 2024, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Voter ID ballot initiative for the 2024 election, which requires organizers statewide to collect over 100,000 signatures before the June 26 deadline. This initiative means voters must present a valid photo ID when voting in Nevada’s elections at the polls.
Nevada only requires signature verification for in-person voting; currently, voters do not need to show their voter ID.
The importance of having a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, safeguards every legal U.S. citizen’s vote to count for the final election results while protecting the ballots from voter fraud.
Local Las Vegas Republican candidates chime in on the voter ID ballot initiative
Rachel Puaina, an English Teacher running for Clark County School District Broad Trustee A, explains the importance of voter ID. She said:
“I believe we will have more honest and trustworthy elections that will make everyone feel that their voices will really count. Voter ID allows us to feel that there are real efforts to secure our elections and it shows that they value our fundamental rights as citizens.”
Patricia Brinkley, a local Republican candidate running for Nevada Senate District 1 in North Las Vegas, is actively mobilizing the local community to collect signatures for the Voter ID initiative before the June 26 deadline. She emphasized:
“I collected signatures for this ballot initiative. I find it interesting that some people think that showing a photo ID is currently the law. They are amazed when told that it’s not the law, as it is such a common-sense solution. Other people have been adamantly opposed to the initiative with the most common reason being that it would disenfranchise some voters. That response is absolutely false.”
Republican Candidate for Congressional District 3, Drew Johnson, further explains why voter ID is imperative based on his experience running for Clark County Commission in 2022. He explained:
“Having an ID is vital for operating as a functioning adult in society. You need one to get a job, apply for unemployment, adopt a pet, rent a hotel room, buy cold medicine at CVS, and rent an apartment. The state government and nonprofits throughout Southern Nevada have made it easy to get an ID at no cost. There’s no good argument against a voter ID law. All it will do is restore confidence in our election system.”
Integrity matters in Nevada: election laws
Staying properly informed as voters about the current voter and election state laws as Nevadans is going to be crucial as a statewide effort for this upcoming presidential election.
Let’s break down the Nevada state voter and election laws.
In Nevada, the state law mandates universal mail-in ballots, which was enacted on into Nevada State law in 2021 according to Assembly Bill 321. This means since 2022 every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default.
Next, Assembly Bill 321 allows for legal ballot harvesting in Nevada. Ballot harvesting is when organizations or individuals collect absentee ballots and then place them at ballot boxes in polling locations.
Secondly, voters can register to vote on Election Day enacted by state law also known as Same Day Registration according to the Nevada Secretary of State FAQs. Voters in person need to show a valid Nevada photo ID to register to vote in person at the polling location.
Lastly, the curing system in Nevada allows mail-in ballots to be counted days and even weeks after Election Day.
The signature needs to match with the mail-in ballots to be counted as a vote for the election. If the ballot isn’t matched with the signature, voters can cure their ballot.
All voters must adhere to state rules, breaking the election laws can result in a serious penalty or fines according to NRS 293.
Turning Nevada red is going to be a group effort
Too much is at stake in this upcoming presidential election, the future of our country lies in the hands of key battleground states, including Nevada.
The integrity of Nevada’s electoral process depends on verifying valid voter IDs by matching them with each voter in person at the polling locations for future elections.
There is utmost importance of organizing at the grassroots level to uphold the electoral process in Nevada. The solution is to organize hundreds of thousands of volunteers at the grassroots level for ballot harvesting, cure ballots, and reach out to voters.
It is of utmost importance to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in the United States moving from now to election night on November 5, 2024.