A.B. 499
- *AB499*
ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 499–ASSEMBLYMEMBER YEAGER
MARCH 24, 2025
____________
Referred to Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to elections.
(BDR 24-998)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact.
Effect on the State: Yes.
CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§§ 2-5, 8, 9)
(NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT)
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to elections; requiring each county clerk to
establish and maintain a voter services portal on the
Internet website of the office of the county clerk;
requiring the Department of Motor Vehicles to submit
electronically to each county clerk certain information
relating to each person who has a driver’s license or
identification card issued by the Department; requiring
the county clerk to include certain information received
from the Department in the centralized, top-down
database that is established by the Secretary of State for
purposes of creating the statewide voter registration list;
requiring certain information to be included on the return
envelope for a mail ballot; revising provisions relating to
signature curing for mail ballots; providing that certain
information on the statewide voter registration list relating
to a voter is confidential and not a public record; and
providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Section 2 of this bill requires each county clerk to establish and maintain a 1
voter services portal on the Internet website of the office of the county clerk, which 2
must allow any registered voter in the county to: (1) review his or her voter 3
registration information; (2) print any form necessary to update his or her voter 4
registration information; (3) view his or her sample ballot; and (4) obtain the 5
location of any polling place where the registered voter may vote or deliver a mail 6
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ballot to a ballot drop box. Section 2 further authorizes a county clerk to request the 7
assistance of the Secretary of State to establish and maintain the voter services 8
portal. 9
Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, the county or city clerk to send 10
to each active registered voter certain information relating to voting by mail, 11
including a mail ballot and a return envelope. (NRS 293.269913, 293C.26312) 12
Sections 4 and 8 of this bill require the return envelope for a mail ballot to include: 13
(1) a space for the voter to voluntarily write certain identifying information; and (2) 14
a QR code or other machine-readable code that directs a voter to the voter services 15
portal on the Internet website of the office of the county clerk. 16
Existing law requires: (1) the Secretary of State to establish and maintain a 17
centralized, top-down database that collects and stores information relating to the 18
preregistration of persons and the registration of electors from all the counties in 19
this State; and (2) each county clerk to use the database to collect and maintain all 20
records of preregistration and registration to vote. Under existing law, the Secretary 21
of State is required to: (1) use the voter registration information collected in the 22
database to create the official statewide voter registration list, which serves as the 23
single method for storing and managing the official list of registered voters in this 24
State; and (2) enter into a cooperative agreement with the Department of Motor 25
Vehicles to match information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 26
with information in the appropriate database of the Department to verify the 27
accuracy of the information in an application to register to vote. (NRS 293.675) 28
Section 3 of this bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, on a regular 29
basis, to submit electronically to each county clerk certain information relating to 30
each person who has a driver’s license or identification card issued by the 31
Department. Section 3 further requires the county clerk to: (1) match such 32
information to registered voters in the county; (2) electronically enter into the 33
centralized, top-down database such information for each registered voter in the 34
county as soon as practicable after matching the information to registered voters in 35
the county; (3) identify any person who is a registered voter in the county and does 36
not have a driver’s license or identification card; and (4) indicate in the database 37
whether each registered voter in the county has a driver’s license or identification 38
card issued by the Department. Section 7 of this bill requires the information 39
submitted to the county clerk by the Department to be included on the statewide 40
voter registration list. 41
Existing law provides that certain information relating to a registered voter is 42
confidential and not a public record. (NRS 293.558) Section 6 of this bill provides 43
that the information submitted to the county clerk by the Department pursuant to 44
section 3 is also confidential and not a public record. 45
Existing law requires a voter who votes by mail to affix his or her signature in 46
the space provided on the return envelope of a mail ballot and the county clerk or 47
city clerk to check the signature to verify the identity of the voter. (NRS 48
293.269917, 293.269927, 293C.26316, 293C.26327) Existing law provides that if 49
the county clerk or city clerk determines when checking the signature used for the 50
mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the 51
manner required by law or that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether 52
the signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk is 53
required to contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 54
signature or a confirmation, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, the 55
voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, not later than 5 p.m. 56
on the sixth day following the election. (NRS 293.269927, 293C.26327) Sections 5 57
and 9 of this bill make various changes to the signature curing process. First, 58
sections 5 and 9 provide that if the voter included on the return envelope the last 59
four digits of the voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 60
security number or the voter’s voter identification number and such information is 61
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confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is entitled to cast the ballot and the 62
signature is not required to be verified. If the voter did not include such information 63
on the return envelope or the information provided on the return envelope is not 64
accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of the clerk is required to check the 65
signature. Second, sections 5 and 9 require that: (1) the county clerk and city clerk 66
ensure that employees are available by telephone on evenings and weekends during 67
the signature curing period; and (2) any voicemail message or hold message used 68
by the office of the clerk provides instructions on how a voter may provide a 69
signature or a signature confirmation. Finally, sections 5 and 9 authorize a voter to 70
confirm his or her signature on the return envelope by electronic mail or text 71
message. 72
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 293 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1
thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act. 2
Sec. 2. 1. Each county clerk shall establish and maintain a 3
voter services portal on the Internet website of the office of the 4
county clerk. 5
2. The voter services portal must, without limitation, allow 6
any registered voter in the county to: 7
(a) Review his or her voter registration information, including, 8
without limitation, his or her voter identification number; 9
(b) Print any form necessary to update his or her voter 10
registration information; 11
(c) View his or her sample ballot; and 12
(d) Obtain the location of any polling place where the 13
registered voter may vote or deliver a mail ballot into a ballot drop 14
box. 15
3. A county clerk may request the assistance of the Secretary 16
of State to establish and maintain the voter services portal 17
required pursuant to this section. 18
Sec. 3. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the 19
Department of Motor Vehicles shall, on a regular basis, submit 20
electronically to each county clerk the following information 21
relating to each person who has a driver’s license or identification 22
card issued by the Department: 23
(a) Name; 24
(b) Date of birth; 25
(c) Social security number; 26
(d) Driver’s license number or identification card number, as 27
applicable; 28
(e) Birthplace; 29
(f) Sex; 30
(g) Height and weight; 31
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(h) Photograph from the person’s driver’s license or 1
identification card; 2
(i) Physical address; 3
(j) Mailing address; 4
(k) Citizenship status; 5
(l) Telephone number; 6
(m) Electronic mail address; and 7
(n) Veteran status. 8
2. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not submit any 9
information to a county clerk pursuant to subsection 1 relating to 10
any person who has a driver authorization card issued by the 11
Department pursuant to NRS 483.291. 12
3. The county clerk shall: 13
(a) Match the information received from the Department of 14
Motor Vehicles pursuant to subsection 1 to registered voters in the 15
county in the centralized, top-down database established pursuant 16
to NRS 293.675; 17
(b) Electronically enter the information received from the 18
Department pursuant to subsection 1 into the centralized, top-19
down database established pursuant to NRS 293.675 for each 20
registered voter in the county as soon as practicable after 21
matching the information to registered voters in the county; 22
(c) Identify, based on the information received pursuant to 23
subsection 1, any person who: 24
(1) Is a registered voter in the county; and 25
(2) Does not have a driver’s license or identification card 26
issued by the Department; and 27
(d) Indicate in the centralized, top-down database established 28
pursuant to NRS 293.675 whether the registered voter has a 29
driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department. 30
Sec. 4. NRS 293.269913 is hereby amended to read as 31
follows: 32
293.269913 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, 33
NRS 293.269911 and chapter 293D of NRS, the county clerk shall 34
send to each active registered voter by first-class mail, or by any 35
class of mail if the Official Election Mail logo or an equivalent logo 36
or mark created by the United States Postal Service is properly 37
placed: 38
(a) A mail ballot; 39
(b) A return envelope [;] , which must include, without 40
limitation: 41
(1) A space for the voter to voluntarily write: 42
(I) The last four digits of the voter’s driver’s license; 43
(II) The last four digits of the voter’s social security 44
number; or 45
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(III) The voter identification number of the voter; and 1
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 2
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 3
Internet address for the voter services portal created by the county 4
clerk pursuant to section 2 of this act; 5
(c) An envelope or sleeve into which the mail ballot is inserted 6
to ensure its secrecy; and 7
(d) Instructions [.] that include, without limitation: 8
(1) An explanation that the voter may voluntarily write on 9
the return envelope the information described in paragraph (b); 10
and 11
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 12
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 13
Internet address for the voter services portal on the Internet 14
website of the county clerk. 15
2. In sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 16
county clerk shall use an envelope that may not be forwarded to an 17
address of the voter that is different from the address to which the 18
mail ballot is mailed. 19
3. The return envelope must include postage prepaid by first-20
class mail if the active registered voter is within the boundaries of 21
the United States, its territories or possessions or on a military base. 22
4. Before sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 23
county clerk shall record: 24
(a) The date the mail ballot is issued; 25
(b) The name of the voter to whom the mail ballot is issued, his 26
or her precinct or district and his or her political affiliation, if any, 27
unless all the offices on the mail ballot are nonpartisan offices; 28
(c) The number of the mail ballot; and 29
(d) Any remarks the county clerk finds appropriate. 30
5. The Secretary of State shall prescribe: 31
(a) The form of all envelopes in which mail ballots are sent to 32
voters and return envelopes, which must, except as otherwise 33
provided in paragraph (b), be uniform throughout the State; and 34
(b) A method for distinguishing the return envelopes of each 35
county which must be prominently displayed on the outside of the 36
return envelope. 37
Sec. 5. NRS 293.269927 is hereby amended to read as 38
follows: 39
293.269927 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 40
293D.200, when a mail ballot is returned by or on behalf of a voter 41
to the county clerk, and a record of its return is made in the mail 42
ballot record for the election, the clerk or an employee in the office 43
of the clerk shall check the return envelope to determine whether 44
the voter included on the return envelope the last four digits of the 45
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voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 1
security number or the voter’s voter identification number. If the 2
return envelope includes any such information and such 3
information is confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is 4
entitled to cast the mail ballot and the signature is not required to 5
be checked. If the voter did not include such information on the 6
return envelope or the information provided on the return 7
envelope is not accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of 8
the clerk must check the signature used for the mail ballot by 9
electronic means pursuant to subsection 2 or manually pursuant to 10
subsection 3. 11
2. To check the signature used for a mail ballot by electronic 12
means: 13
(a) The electronic device must take a digital image of the 14
signature used for the mail ballot and compare the digital image 15
with the signatures of the voter from his or her application to 16
register to vote or application to preregister to vote available in the 17
records of the county clerk. 18
(b) If the electronic device does not match the signature of the 19
voter, the signature shall be reviewed manually pursuant to the 20
provisions of subsection 3. 21
3. To check the signature used for a mail ballot manually, the 22
county clerk shall use the following procedure: 23
(a) The clerk or employee shall check the signature used for the 24
mail ballot against all signatures of the voter available in the records 25
of the clerk. 26
(b) If at least two employees in the office of the clerk believe 27
there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 28
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk 29
shall contact the voter and ask the voter to confirm whether the 30
signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter. 31
4. For purposes of subsection 3: 32
(a) There is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 33
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 34
if the signature used for the mail ballot differs in multiple, 35
significant and obvious respects from the signatures of the voter 36
available in the records of the clerk. 37
(b) There is not a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 38
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 39
if: 40
(1) The signature used for the mail ballot is a variation of the 41
signature of the voter caused by the substitution of initials for the 42
first or middle name, the substitution of a different type of 43
punctuation in the first, middle or last name, the use of a common 44
nickname or the use of one last name for a person who has two last 45
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names and it does not otherwise differ in multiple, significant and 1
obvious respects from the signatures of the voter available in the 2
records of the clerk; or 3
(2) There are only slight dissimilarities between the signature 4
used for the mail ballot and the signatures of the voter available in 5
the records of the clerk. 6
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if the clerk 7
determines that the voter is entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk 8
shall deposit the mail ballot in the proper ballot box or place the 9
mail ballot, unopened, in a container that must be securely locked or 10
under the control of the clerk at all times. The clerk shall deliver the 11
mail ballots to the mail ballot central counting board to be processed 12
and prepared for counting. 13
6. If the clerk determines when checking the signature used for 14
the mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or 15
failed to affix it in the manner required by law for the mail ballot or 16
that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 17
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, but the 18
voter is otherwise entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk shall 19
contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 20
signature or a confirmation that the signature used for the mail ballot 21
belongs to the voter, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, 22
the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, 23
not later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election. During 24
the period in which signatures may be cured, the clerk shall 25
ensure that employees in the office of the clerk are available by 26
telephone on evenings and weekends. Any voicemail message or 27
hold message used by the office of the clerk must provide 28
instructions on how a voter may provide a signature or a 29
confirmation. 30
7. The clerk shall prescribe procedures for a voter who failed to 31
affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the manner required 32
by law for the mail ballot, or for whom there is a reasonable 33
question of fact as to whether the signature used for the mail ballot 34
matches the signature of the voter, in order to: 35
(a) Contact the voter; 36
(b) Allow the voter to provide a signature or a confirmation that 37
the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter, as 38
applicable; and 39
(c) After a signature or a confirmation is provided, as applicable, 40
ensure the mail ballot is delivered to the mail ballot central counting 41
board. 42
8. If there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 43
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, 44
the voter must be identified by: 45
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(a) Answering questions from the county clerk covering the 1
personal data which is reported on the application to register to vote; 2
(b) Providing the county clerk, orally or in writing, including, 3
without limitation, in writing by electronic mail or text message, 4
with other personal data which verifies the identity of the voter; or 5
(c) Providing the county clerk with proof of identification as 6
described in NRS 293.277 other than the voter registration card 7
issued to the voter. 8
9. The procedures established pursuant to subsection 7 for 9
contacting a voter must require the clerk to contact the voter, as 10
soon as possible after receipt of the mail ballot, by: 11
(a) Mail; 12
(b) Telephone, if a telephone number for the voter is available in 13
the records of the clerk; and 14
(c) Electronic means, which [may] must include, without 15
limitation [, electronic] : 16
(1) Electronic mail, if the voter has provided the clerk with 17
[sufficient information to contact the voter by such means.] an 18
electronic mail address; or 19
(2) Text message, if the voter has provided the clerk with a 20
cellular telephone number. 21
Sec. 6. NRS 293.558 is hereby amended to read as follows: 22
293.558 1. The county or city clerk shall disclose the 23
identification number of a registered voter to the public, including, 24
without limitation: 25
(a) In response to an inquiry received by the county or city 26
clerk; or 27
(b) By inclusion of the identification number of the registered 28
voter on any list of registered voters made available for public 29
inspection pursuant to NRS 293.301, 293.440, 293.557, 293C.290 30
or 293C.542. 31
2. The county or city clerk shall not disclose: 32
(a) The social security number or the driver’s license or 33
identification card number of a registered voter, and such a number 34
is confidential and is not a public book or record within the meaning 35
of NRS 239.010. 36
(b) An electronic mail address provided by a registered voter to 37
carry out any state or federal law relating to the voting process, and 38
such an electronic mail address is confidential and is not a public 39
book or record within the meaning of NRS 239.010. The county or 40
city clerk may not release a registered voter’s electronic mail 41
address to a third party and may use such an electronic mail address 42
only to: 43
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(1) Communicate with the registered voter about the voting 1
process, including, without limitation, as necessary to carry out the 2
provisions of chapter 293D of NRS; and 3
(2) Distribute a sample ballot to the registered voter by 4
electronic means if the county or city clerk has established a system 5
for distributing sample ballots by electronic means pursuant to NRS 6
293.565 or 293C.530 and the registered voter elects to receive a 7
sample ballot by electronic means. 8
(c) The information of a registered voter that is received from 9
the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to section 3 of this act 10
is confidential and is not a public book or record. 11
3. A registered voter may submit a written request to the 12
county or city clerk to have his or her address and telephone number 13
withheld from the public. Upon receipt of such a request, the county 14
or city clerk shall not disclose the address or telephone number of 15
the registered voter to the public, including, without limitation: 16
(a) In response to an inquiry received by the county or city 17
clerk; or 18
(b) By inclusion on any list of registered voters made available 19
for public inspection pursuant to NRS 293.301, 293.440, 293.557, 20
293C.290 or 293C.542. 21
4. No information relating to a registered voter may be 22
withheld from the public other than: 23
(a) The address and telephone number of the registered voter if 24
requested by the registered voter pursuant to this section; 25
(b) An electronic mail address provided by the registered voter 26
to carry out any state or federal law relating to the voting process; 27
(c) The social security number and driver’s license or 28
identification card number of the registered voter; [and] 29
(d) The birthplace, sex, height, weight, photograph, citizenship 30
status and veteran status of the registered voter; and 31
(e) Any other information relating to the registered voter that 32
any state or federal law declares to be confidential or otherwise 33
requires to be withheld from the public. 34
Sec. 7. NRS 293.675 is hereby amended to read as follows: 35
293.675 1. The Secretary of State shall establish and 36
maintain a centralized, top-down database that collects and stores 37
information related to the preregistration of persons and the 38
registration of electors from all the counties in this State. The 39
Secretary of State shall ensure that the database is capable of storing 40
preregistration information separately until a person is qualified to 41
register to vote. Each county clerk shall use the database created by 42
the Secretary of State pursuant to this subsection to collect and 43
maintain all records of preregistration and registration to vote. 44
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2. The Secretary of State shall use the voter registration 1
information collected in the database created pursuant to subsection 2
1 to create the official statewide voter registration list, which may be 3
maintained on the Internet, in consultation with each county and city 4
clerk. 5
3. The statewide voter registration list must: 6
(a) Be a uniform, centralized and interactive computerized list; 7
(b) Serve as the single method for storing and managing the 8
official list of registered voters in this State; 9
(c) Serve as the official list of registered voters for the conduct 10
of all elections in this State; 11
(d) Contain the name [and] , voter registration information and, 12
if applicable, the information described in section 3 of this act of 13
every legally registered voter in this State; 14
(e) Include a unique identifier assigned by the Secretary of State 15
to each legally registered voter in this State; 16
(f) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9, be coordinated 17
with the appropriate databases of other agencies in this State; 18
(g) Be electronically accessible to each state and local election 19
official in this State at all times; 20
(h) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 10, allow for 21
data to be shared with other states under certain circumstances; and 22
(i) Be regularly maintained to ensure the integrity of the 23
registration process and the election process. 24
4. Each county and city clerk shall: 25
(a) Electronically enter into the database created pursuant to 26
subsection 1 all information related to voter preregistration and 27
registration obtained by the county or city clerk at the time the 28
information is provided to the county or city clerk; and 29
(b) Provide the Secretary of State with information concerning 30
the voter registration of the county or city and other reasonable 31
information requested by the Secretary of State in the form required 32
by the Secretary of State to establish or maintain the statewide voter 33
registration list. 34
5. In establishing and maintaining the statewide voter 35
registration list, the Secretary of State shall enter into a cooperative 36
agreement with the Department of Motor Vehicles to match 37
information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 38
with information in the appropriate database of the Department of 39
Motor Vehicles to verify the accuracy of the information in an 40
application to register to vote. 41
6. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall enter into an 42
agreement with the Social Security Administration pursuant to 52 43
U.S.C. § 21083, to verify the accuracy of information in an 44
application to register to vote. 45
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7. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall ensure that its 1
database: 2
(a) Is capable of processing any information related to an 3
application to register to vote, an application to update voter 4
registration information or a request to verify the accuracy of voter 5
registration information as quickly as is feasible; and 6
(b) Does not limit the number of applications to register to vote, 7
applications to update voter registration information or requests to 8
verify the accuracy of voter registration information that may be 9
processed by the database in any given day. 10
8. The Secretary of State shall enter into a cooperative 11
agreement with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics to match 12
information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 13
with information in the records of the State Registrar of Vital 14
Statistics concerning the death of a resident of this State to maintain 15
the statewide voter registration list. The Secretary of State must 16
compare the records of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics to those 17
in the statewide voter registration list at least once per month. 18
9. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 481.063 or any 19
provision of law providing for the confidentiality of information, the 20
Secretary of State may enter into an agreement with an agency of 21
this State pursuant to which the agency provides to the Secretary of 22
State any information in the possession of the agency that the 23
Secretary of State deems necessary to maintain the statewide voter 24
registration list. 25
10. The Secretary of State may: 26
(a) Request from the chief officer of elections of another state 27
any information which the Secretary of State deems necessary to 28
maintain the statewide voter registration list; and 29
(b) Provide to the chief officer of elections of another state any 30
information which is requested and which the Secretary of State 31
deems necessary for the chief officer of elections of that state to 32
maintain a voter registration list, if the Secretary of State is satisfied 33
that the information provided pursuant to this paragraph will be used 34
only for the maintenance of that voter registration list. 35
Sec. 8. NRS 293C.26312 is hereby amended to read as 36
follows: 37
293C.26312 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, 38
NRS 293C.263 and chapter 293D of NRS, the city clerk shall send 39
to each active registered voter by first-class mail, or by any class of 40
mail if the Official Election Mail logo or an equivalent logo or mark 41
created by the United States Postal Service is properly placed: 42
(a) A mail ballot; 43
(b) A return envelope [;] , which must include, without 44
limitation: 45
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(1) A space for the voter to voluntarily write: 1
(I) The last four digits of the voter’s driver’s license; 2
(II) The last four digits of the voter’s social security 3
number; or 4
(III) The voter identification number of the voter; and 5
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 6
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 7
Internet address for the voter services portal created by the county 8
clerk pursuant to section 2 of this act; 9
(c) An envelope or sleeve into which the mail ballot is inserted 10
to ensure its secrecy; and 11
(d) Instructions [.] that include, without limitation: 12
(1) An explanation that the voter may voluntarily write on 13
the return envelope the information described in paragraph (b); 14
and 15
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 16
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 17
Internet address for the voter services portal on the Internet 18
website of the county clerk. 19
2. In sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the city 20
clerk shall use an envelope that may not be forwarded to an address 21
of the voter that is different from the address to which the mail 22
ballot is mailed. 23
3. The return envelope must include postage prepaid by first-24
class mail if the active registered voter is within the boundaries of 25
the United States, its territories or possessions or on a military base. 26
4. Before sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 27
city clerk shall record: 28
(a) The date the mail ballot is issued; 29
(b) The name of the voter to whom the mail ballot is issued, his 30
or her precinct or district and his or her political affiliation, if any, 31
unless all the offices on the mail ballot are nonpartisan offices; 32
(c) The number of the mail ballot; and 33
(d) Any remarks the city clerk finds appropriate. 34
5. The Secretary of State shall prescribe: 35
(a) The form of all envelopes in which mail ballots are sent to 36
voters and return envelopes, which must, except as otherwise 37
provided in paragraph (b), be uniform throughout the State; and 38
(b) A method for distinguishing the return envelopes of each 39
city which must be prominently displayed on the outside of the 40
return envelope. 41
Sec. 9. NRS 293C.26327 is hereby amended to read as 42
follows: 43
293C.26327 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 44
293D.200, when a mail ballot is returned by or on behalf of a voter 45
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to the city clerk, and a record of its return is made in the mail ballot 1
record for the election, the clerk or an employee in the office of the 2
clerk shall check the return envelope to determine whether the 3
voter included on the return envelope the last four digits of 4
the voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 5
security number or the voter’s voter identification number. If the 6
return envelope includes any such information and such 7
information is confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is 8
entitled to cast the mail ballot and the signature is not required to 9
be checked. If the voter did not include such information on the 10
return envelope or the information provided on the return 11
envelope is not accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of 12
the clerk must check the signature used for the mail ballot by 13
electronic means pursuant to subsection 2 or manually pursuant to 14
subsection 3. 15
2. To check the signature used for a mail ballot by electronic 16
means: 17
(a) The electronic device must take a digital image of the 18
signature used for the mail ballot and electronically compare the 19
digital image with the signatures of the voter from his or her 20
application to register to vote or application to preregister to vote 21
available in the records of the city clerk. 22
(b) If the electronic device does not match the signature of the 23
voter, the signature shall be reviewed manually pursuant to the 24
provisions of subsection 3. 25
3. To check the signature used for a mail ballot manually, the 26
city clerk shall use the following procedure: 27
(a) The clerk or employee shall check the signature used for the 28
mail ballot against all signatures of the voter available in the records 29
of the clerk. 30
(b) If at least two employees in the office of the clerk believe 31
there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 32
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk 33
shall contact the voter and ask the voter to confirm whether the 34
signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter. 35
4. For purposes of subsection 3: 36
(a) There is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 37
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 38
if the signature used for the mail ballot differs in multiple, 39
significant and obvious respects from the signatures of the voter 40
available in the records of the clerk. 41
(b) There is not a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 42
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 43
if: 44
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- *AB499*
(1) The signature used for the mail ballot is a variation of the 1
signature of the voter caused by the substitution of initials for the 2
first or middle name, the substitution of a different type of 3
punctuation in the first, middle or last name, the use of a common 4
nickname or the use of one last name for a person who has two last 5
names and it does not otherwise differ in multiple, significant and 6
obvious respects from the signatures of the voter available in the 7
records of the clerk; or 8
(2) There are only slight dissimilarities between the signature 9
used for the mail ballot and the signatures of the voter available in 10
the records of the clerk. 11
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if the clerk 12
determines that the voter is entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk 13
shall deposit the mail ballot in the proper ballot box or place the 14
mail ballot, unopened, in a container that must be securely locked or 15
under the control of the clerk at all times. The clerk shall deliver the 16
mail ballots to the mail ballot central counting board to be processed 17
and prepared for counting. 18
6. If the clerk determines when checking the signature used for 19
the mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or 20
failed to affix it in the manner required by law for the mail ballot or 21
that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 22
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, but the 23
voter is otherwise entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk shall 24
contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 25
signature or a confirmation that the signature used for the mail ballot 26
belongs to the voter, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, 27
the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, 28
not later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election. During 29
the period in which signatures may be cured, the clerk shall 30
ensure that employees in the office of the clerk are available by 31
telephone on evenings and weekends. Any voicemail message or 32
hold message used by the office of the clerk must provide 33
instructions on how a voter may provide a signature or a 34
confirmation. 35
7. The clerk shall prescribe procedures for a voter who failed to 36
affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the manner required 37
by law for the mail ballot, or for whom there is a reasonable 38
question of fact as to whether the signature used for the mail ballot 39
matches the signature of the voter, in order to: 40
(a) Contact the voter; 41
(b) Allow the voter to provide a signature or a confirmation that 42
the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter, as 43
applicable; and 44
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- *AB499*
(c) After a signature or a confirmation is provided, as applicable, 1
ensure the mail ballot is delivered to the mail ballot central counting 2
board. 3
8. If there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 4
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, 5
the voter must be identified by: 6
(a) Answering questions from the city clerk covering the 7
personal data which is reported on the application to register to vote; 8
(b) Providing the city clerk, orally or in writing, including, 9
without limitation, in writing by electronic mail or text message, 10
with other personal data which verifies the identity of the voter; or 11
(c) Providing the city clerk with proof of identification as 12
described in NRS 293C.270 other than the voter registration card 13
issued to the voter. 14
9. The procedures established pursuant to subsection 7 for 15
contacting a voter must require the clerk to contact the voter, as 16
soon as possible after receipt of the mail ballot, by: 17
(a) Mail; 18
(b) Telephone, if a telephone number for the voter is available in 19
the records of the clerk; and 20
(c) Electronic means, which [may] must include, without 21
limitation [, electronic] : 22
(1) Electronic mail, if the voter has provided the clerk with 23
[sufficient information to contact the voter by such means.] an 24
electronic mail address; and 25
(2) Text message, if the voter has provided the clerk with a 26
cellular telephone number. 27
Sec. 10. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any 28
additional expenses of a local government that are related to the 29
provisions of this act. 30
Sec. 11. 1. This section and section 10 of this act become 31
effective upon passage and approval. 32
2. Sections 1 to 9, inclusive, of this act become effective: 33
(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any 34
regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative 35
tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and 36
(b) On October 1, 2025, for all other purposes. 37
H