(Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 21, 2025)
FIRST REPRINT A.B. 499
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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 county clerk to include certain information
relating to the voter services portal on any communication
to a registered voter; 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
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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
ballot to a ballot drop box. Section 2 further: (1) authorizes a county clerk to 7
request the assistance of the Secretary of State to establish and maintain the voter 8
services portal; and (2) requires the county clerk to include on any communication 9
to a registered voter a two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR code, 10
or another machine-readable code used for storing the Internet address for the voter 11
services portal created by the county clerk pursuant to section 2. 12
Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, the county or city clerk to send 13
to each active registered voter certain information relating to voting by mail, 14
including a mail ballot and a return envelope. (NRS 293.269913, 293C.26312) 15
Sections 4 and 8 of this bill require the return envelope for a mail ballot to include: 16
(1) a space for the voter to voluntarily write certain identifying information; and (2) 17
a QR code or other machine-readable code that directs a voter to the voter services 18
portal on the Internet website of the office of the county clerk. 19
Existing law requires: (1) the Secretary of State to establish and maintain a 20
centralized, top-down database that collects and stores information relating to the 21
preregistration of persons and the registration of electors from all the counties in 22
this State; and (2) each county clerk to use the database to collect and maintain all 23
records of preregistration and registration to vote. Under existing law, the Secretary 24
of State is required to: (1) use the voter registration information collected in the 25
database to create the official statewide voter registration list, which serves as the 26
single method for storing and managing the official list of registered voters in this 27
State; and (2) enter into a cooperative agreement with the Department of Motor 28
Vehicles to match information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 29
with information in the appropriate database of the Department to verify the 30
accuracy of the information in an application to register to vote. (NRS 293.675) 31
Section 3 of this bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, on a regular 32
basis, to submit electronically to each county clerk certain information relating to 33
each person who has a driver’s license or identification card issued by the 34
Department. Section 3 further requires the county clerk to: (1) match such 35
information to registered voters in the county; (2) electronically enter into the 36
centralized, top-down database such information for each registered voter in the 37
county as soon as practicable after matching the information to registered voters in 38
the county; (3) identify any person who is a registered voter in the county and does 39
not have a driver’s license or identification card; and (4) indicate in the database 40
whether each registered voter in the county has a driver’s license or identification 41
card issued by the Department. Section 7 of this bill requires the information 42
submitted to the county clerk by the Department to be included on the statewide 43
voter registration list. 44
Existing law provides that certain information relating to a registered voter is 45
confidential and not a public record. (NRS 293.558) Section 6 of this bill provides 46
that the information submitted to the county clerk by the Department pursuant to 47
section 3 is also confidential and not a public record. 48
Existing law requires a voter who votes by mail to affix his or her signature in 49
the space provided on the return envelope of a mail ballot and the county clerk or 50
city clerk to check the signature to verify the identity of the voter. (NRS 51
293.269917, 293.269927, 293C.26316, 293C.26327) Existing law provides that if 52
the county clerk or city clerk determines when checking the signature used for the 53
mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the 54
manner required by law or that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether 55
the signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk is 56
required to contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 57
signature or a confirmation, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, the 58
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voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, not later than 5 p.m. 59
on the sixth day following the election. (NRS 293.269927, 293C.26327) Sections 5 60
and 9 of this bill make various changes to the signature curing process. First, 61
sections 5 and 9 provide that if the voter included on the return envelope the last 62
four digits of the voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 63
security number or the voter’s voter identification number and such information is 64
confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is entitled to cast the ballot and the 65
signature is not required to be verified. If the voter did not include such information 66
on the return envelope or the information provided on the return envelope is not 67
accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of the clerk is required to check the 68
signature. Second, sections 5 and 9 require that: (1) the county clerk and city clerk 69
ensure that employees are available by telephone until at least 7 p.m. on evenings 70
and weekends during the signature curing period; and (2) any voicemail message or 71
hold message used by the office of the clerk provides instructions on how a voter 72
may provide a signature or a signature confirmation. Finally, sections 5 and 9 73
authorize a voter to confirm his or her signature on the return envelope by 74
electronic mail or text message. 75
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
4. The county clerk shall include on any communication to a 19
registered voter a two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a 20
QR code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 21
Internet address for the voter services portal created by the county 22
clerk pursuant to this section. 23
Sec. 3. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the 24
Department of Motor Vehicles shall, on a regular basis, submit 25
electronically to each county clerk the following information 26
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relating to each person who has a driver’s license or identification 1
card issued by the Department: 2
(a) Name; 3
(b) Date of birth; 4
(c) Last four digits of the person’s social security number; 5
(d) Driver’s license number or identification card number, as 6
applicable; 7
(e) Sex; 8
(f) Physical address; 9
(g) Mailing address; 10
(h) Citizenship status; 11
(i) Telephone number; 12
(j) Electronic mail address; and 13
(k) Veteran status. 14
2. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not submit any 15
information to a county clerk pursuant to subsection 1 relating to 16
any person who has a driver authorization card issued by the 17
Department pursuant to NRS 483.291. 18
3. The county clerk shall: 19
(a) Match the information received from the Department of 20
Motor Vehicles pursuant to subsection 1 to registered voters in the 21
county in the centralized, top-down database established pursuant 22
to NRS 293.675; 23
(b) Electronically enter the information received from the 24
Department pursuant to subsection 1 into the centralized, top-25
down database established pursuant to NRS 293.675 for each 26
registered voter in the county as soon as practicable after 27
matching the information to registered voters in the county; 28
(c) Identify, based on the information received pursuant to 29
subsection 1, any person who: 30
(1) Is a registered voter in the county; and 31
(2) Does not have a driver’s license or identification card 32
issued by the Department; and 33
(d) Indicate in the centralized, top-down database established 34
pursuant to NRS 293.675 whether the registered voter has a 35
driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department. 36
Sec. 4. NRS 293.269913 is hereby amended to read as 37
follows: 38
293.269913 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, 39
NRS 293.269911 and chapter 293D of NRS, the county clerk shall 40
send to each active registered voter by first-class mail, or by any 41
class of mail if the Official Election Mail logo or an equivalent logo 42
or mark created by the United States Postal Service is properly 43
placed: 44
(a) A mail ballot; 45
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(b) A return envelope [;] , which must include, without 1
limitation: 2
(1) A space for the voter to voluntarily write: 3
(I) The last four digits of the voter’s driver’s license; 4
(II) The last four digits of the voter’s social security 5
number; or 6
(III) The voter identification number of the voter; and 7
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 8
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 9
Internet address for the voter services portal created by the county 10
clerk pursuant to section 2 of this act; 11
(c) An envelope or sleeve into which the mail ballot is inserted 12
to ensure its secrecy; and 13
(d) Instructions [.] that include, without limitation: 14
(1) An explanation that the voter may voluntarily write on 15
the return envelope the information described in paragraph (b); 16
and 17
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 18
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 19
Internet address for the voter services portal on the Internet 20
website of the county clerk. 21
2. In sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 22
county clerk shall use an envelope that may not be forwarded to an 23
address of the voter that is different from the address to which the 24
mail ballot is mailed. 25
3. The return envelope must include postage prepaid by first-26
class mail if the active registered voter is within the boundaries of 27
the United States, its territories or possessions or on a military base. 28
4. Before sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 29
county clerk shall record: 30
(a) The date the mail ballot is issued; 31
(b) The name of the voter to whom the mail ballot is issued, his 32
or her precinct or district and his or her political affiliation, if any, 33
unless all the offices on the mail ballot are nonpartisan offices; 34
(c) The number of the mail ballot; and 35
(d) Any remarks the county clerk finds appropriate. 36
5. The Secretary of State shall prescribe: 37
(a) The form of all envelopes in which mail ballots are sent to 38
voters and return envelopes, which must, except as otherwise 39
provided in paragraph (b), be uniform throughout the State; and 40
(b) A method for distinguishing the return envelopes of each 41
county which must be prominently displayed on the outside of the 42
return envelope. 43
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Sec. 5. NRS 293.269927 is hereby amended to read as 1
follows: 2
293.269927 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 3
293D.200, when a mail ballot is returned by or on behalf of a voter 4
to the county clerk, and a record of its return is made in the mail 5
ballot record for the election, the clerk or an employee in the office 6
of the clerk shall check the return envelope to determine whether 7
the voter included on the return envelope the last four digits of the 8
voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 9
security number or the voter’s voter identification number. If the 10
return envelope includes any such information and such 11
information is confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is 12
entitled to cast the mail ballot and the signature is not required to 13
be checked. If the voter did not include such information on the 14
return envelope or the information provided on the return 15
envelope is not accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of 16
the clerk must check the signature used for the mail ballot by 17
electronic means pursuant to subsection 2 or manually pursuant to 18
subsection 3. 19
2. To check the signature used for a mail ballot by electronic 20
means: 21
(a) The electronic device must take a digital image of the 22
signature used for the mail ballot and compare the digital image 23
with the signatures of the voter from his or her application to 24
register to vote or application to preregister to vote available in the 25
records of the county clerk. 26
(b) If the electronic device does not match the signature of the 27
voter, the signature shall be reviewed manually pursuant to the 28
provisions of subsection 3. 29
3. To check the signature used for a mail ballot manually, the 30
county clerk shall use the following procedure: 31
(a) The clerk or employee shall check the signature used for the 32
mail ballot against all signatures of the voter available in the records 33
of the clerk. 34
(b) If at least two employees in the office of the clerk believe 35
there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 36
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk 37
shall contact the voter and ask the voter to confirm whether the 38
signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter. 39
4. For purposes of subsection 3: 40
(a) There is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 41
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 42
if the signature used for the mail ballot differs in multiple, 43
significant and obvious respects from the signatures of the voter 44
available in the records of the clerk. 45
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(b) There is not a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 1
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 2
if: 3
(1) The signature used for the mail ballot is a variation of the 4
signature of the voter caused by the substitution of initials for the 5
first or middle name, the substitution of a different type of 6
punctuation in the first, middle or last name, the use of a common 7
nickname or the use of one last name for a person who has two last 8
names and it does not otherwise differ in multiple, significant and 9
obvious respects from the signatures of the voter available in the 10
records of the clerk; or 11
(2) There are only slight dissimilarities between the signature 12
used for the mail ballot and the signatures of the voter available in 13
the records of the clerk. 14
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if the clerk 15
determines that the voter is entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk 16
shall deposit the mail ballot in the proper ballot box or place the 17
mail ballot, unopened, in a container that must be securely locked or 18
under the control of the clerk at all times. The clerk shall deliver the 19
mail ballots to the mail ballot central counting board to be processed 20
and prepared for counting. 21
6. If the clerk determines when checking the signature used for 22
the mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or 23
failed to affix it in the manner required by law for the mail ballot or 24
that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 25
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, but the 26
voter is otherwise entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk shall 27
contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 28
signature or a confirmation that the signature used for the mail ballot 29
belongs to the voter, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, 30
the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, 31
not later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election. During 32
the period in which signatures may be cured, the clerk shall 33
ensure that employees in the office of the clerk are available by 34
telephone until at least 7 p.m. on evenings and weekends. Any 35
voicemail message or hold message used by the office of the clerk 36
must provide instructions on how a voter may provide a signature 37
or a confirmation. 38
7. The clerk shall prescribe procedures for a voter who failed to 39
affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the manner required 40
by law for the mail ballot, or for whom there is a reasonable 41
question of fact as to whether the signature used for the mail ballot 42
matches the signature of the voter, in order to: 43
(a) Contact the voter; 44
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(b) Allow the voter to provide a signature or a confirmation that 1
the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter, as 2
applicable; and 3
(c) After a signature or a confirmation is provided, as applicable, 4
ensure the mail ballot is delivered to the mail ballot central counting 5
board. 6
8. If there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 7
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, 8
the voter must be identified by: 9
(a) Answering questions from the county clerk covering the 10
personal data which is reported on the application to register to vote; 11
(b) Providing the county clerk, orally or in writing, including, 12
without limitation, in writing by electronic mail or text message, 13
with other personal data which verifies the identity of the voter; or 14
(c) Providing the county clerk with proof of identification as 15
described in NRS 293.277 other than the voter registration card 16
issued to the voter. 17
9. The procedures established pursuant to subsection 7 for 18
contacting a voter must require the clerk to contact the voter, as 19
soon as possible after receipt of the mail ballot, by: 20
(a) Mail; 21
(b) Telephone, if a telephone number for the voter is available in 22
the records of the clerk; and 23
(c) Electronic means, which [may] must include, without 24
limitation [, electronic] : 25
(1) Electronic mail, if the voter has provided the clerk with 26
[sufficient information to contact the voter by such means.] an 27
electronic mail address; or 28
(2) Text message, if the voter has provided the clerk with a 29
cellular telephone number. 30
Sec. 6. NRS 293.558 is hereby amended to read as follows: 31
293.558 1. The county or city clerk shall disclose the 32
identification number of a registered voter to the public, including, 33
without limitation: 34
(a) In response to an inquiry received by the county or city 35
clerk; or 36
(b) By inclusion of the identification number of the registered 37
voter on any list of registered voters made available for public 38
inspection pursuant to NRS 293.301, 293.440, 293.557, 293C.290 39
or 293C.542. 40
2. The county or city clerk shall not disclose: 41
(a) The social security number or the driver’s license or 42
identification card number of a registered voter, and such a number 43
is confidential and is not a public book or record within the meaning 44
of NRS 239.010. 45
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(b) An electronic mail address provided by a registered voter to 1
carry out any state or federal law relating to the voting process, and 2
such an electronic mail address is confidential and is not a public 3
book or record within the meaning of NRS 239.010. The county or 4
city clerk may not release a registered voter’s electronic mail 5
address to a third party and may use such an electronic mail address 6
only to: 7
(1) Communicate with the registered voter about the voting 8
process, including, without limitation, as necessary to carry out the 9
provisions of chapter 293D of NRS; and 10
(2) Distribute a sample ballot to the registered voter by 11
electronic means if the county or city clerk has established a system 12
for distributing sample ballots by electronic means pursuant to NRS 13
293.565 or 293C.530 and the registered voter elects to receive a 14
sample ballot by electronic means. 15
(c) The information of a registered voter that is received from 16
the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to section 3 of this act 17
is confidential and is not a public book or record. 18
3. A registered voter may submit a written request to the 19
county or city clerk to have his or her address and telephone number 20
withheld from the public. Upon receipt of such a request, the county 21
or city clerk shall not disclose the address or telephone number of 22
the registered voter to the public, including, without limitation: 23
(a) In response to an inquiry received by the county or city 24
clerk; or 25
(b) By inclusion on any list of registered voters made available 26
for public inspection pursuant to NRS 293.301, 293.440, 293.557, 27
293C.290 or 293C.542. 28
4. No information relating to a registered voter may be 29
withheld from the public other than: 30
(a) The address and telephone number of the registered voter if 31
requested by the registered voter pursuant to this section; 32
(b) An electronic mail address provided by the registered voter 33
to carry out any state or federal law relating to the voting process; 34
(c) The social security number and driver’s license or 35
identification card number of the registered voter; [and] 36
(d) The sex, citizenship status and veteran status of the 37
registered voter; and 38
(e) Any other information relating to the registered voter that 39
any state or federal law declares to be confidential or otherwise 40
requires to be withheld from the public. 41
Sec. 7. NRS 293.675 is hereby amended to read as follows: 42
293.675 1. The Secretary of State shall establish and 43
maintain a centralized, top-down database that collects and stores 44
information related to the preregistration of persons and the 45
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registration of electors from all the counties in this State. The 1
Secretary of State shall ensure that the database is capable of storing 2
preregistration information separately until a person is qualified to 3
register to vote. Each county clerk shall use the database created by 4
the Secretary of State pursuant to this subsection to collect and 5
maintain all records of preregistration and registration to vote. 6
2. The Secretary of State shall use the voter registration 7
information collected in the database created pursuant to subsection 8
1 to create the official statewide voter registration list, which may be 9
maintained on the Internet, in consultation with each county and city 10
clerk. 11
3. The statewide voter registration list must: 12
(a) Be a uniform, centralized and interactive computerized list; 13
(b) Serve as the single method for storing and managing the 14
official list of registered voters in this State; 15
(c) Serve as the official list of registered voters for the conduct 16
of all elections in this State; 17
(d) Contain the name [and] , voter registration information and, 18
if applicable, the information described in section 3 of this act of 19
every legally registered voter in this State; 20
(e) Include a unique identifier assigned by the Secretary of State 21
to each legally registered voter in this State; 22
(f) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9, be coordinated 23
with the appropriate databases of other agencies in this State; 24
(g) Be electronically accessible to each state and local election 25
official in this State at all times; 26
(h) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 10, allow for 27
data to be shared with other states under certain circumstances; and 28
(i) Be regularly maintained to ensure the integrity of the 29
registration process and the election process. 30
4. Each county and city clerk shall: 31
(a) Electronically enter into the database created pursuant to 32
subsection 1 all information related to voter preregistration and 33
registration obtained by the county or city clerk at the time the 34
information is provided to the county or city clerk; and 35
(b) Provide the Secretary of State with information concerning 36
the voter registration of the county or city and other reasonable 37
information requested by the Secretary of State in the form required 38
by the Secretary of State to establish or maintain the statewide voter 39
registration list. 40
5. In establishing and maintaining the statewide voter 41
registration list, the Secretary of State shall enter into a cooperative 42
agreement with the Department of Motor Vehicles to match 43
information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 44
with information in the appropriate database of the Department of 45
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Motor Vehicles to verify the accuracy of the information in an 1
application to register to vote. 2
6. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall enter into an 3
agreement with the Social Security Administration pursuant to 52 4
U.S.C. § 21083, to verify the accuracy of information in an 5
application to register to vote. 6
7. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall ensure that its 7
database: 8
(a) Is capable of processing any information related to an 9
application to register to vote, an application to update voter 10
registration information or a request to verify the accuracy of voter 11
registration information as quickly as is feasible; and 12
(b) Does not limit the number of applications to register to vote, 13
applications to update voter registration information or requests to 14
verify the accuracy of voter registration information that may be 15
processed by the database in any given day. 16
8. The Secretary of State shall enter into a cooperative 17
agreement with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics to match 18
information in the database of the statewide voter registration list 19
with information in the records of the State Registrar of Vital 20
Statistics concerning the death of a resident of this State to maintain 21
the statewide voter registration list. The Secretary of State must 22
compare the records of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics to those 23
in the statewide voter registration list at least once per month. 24
9. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 481.063 or any 25
provision of law providing for the confidentiality of information, the 26
Secretary of State may enter into an agreement with an agency of 27
this State pursuant to which the agency provides to the Secretary of 28
State any information in the possession of the agency that the 29
Secretary of State deems necessary to maintain the statewide voter 30
registration list. 31
10. The Secretary of State may: 32
(a) Request from the chief officer of elections of another state 33
any information which the Secretary of State deems necessary to 34
maintain the statewide voter registration list; and 35
(b) Provide to the chief officer of elections of another state any 36
information which is requested and which the Secretary of State 37
deems necessary for the chief officer of elections of that state to 38
maintain a voter registration list, if the Secretary of State is satisfied 39
that the information provided pursuant to this paragraph will be used 40
only for the maintenance of that voter registration list. 41
Sec. 8. NRS 293C.26312 is hereby amended to read as 42
follows: 43
293C.26312 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, 44
NRS 293C.263 and chapter 293D of NRS, the city clerk shall send 45
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to each active registered voter by first-class mail, or by any class of 1
mail if the Official Election Mail logo or an equivalent logo or mark 2
created by the United States Postal Service is properly placed: 3
(a) A mail ballot; 4
(b) A return envelope [;] , which must include, without 5
limitation: 6
(1) A space for the voter to voluntarily write: 7
(I) The last four digits of the voter’s driver’s license; 8
(II) The last four digits of the voter’s social security 9
number; or 10
(III) The voter identification number of the voter; 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 created by the county 14
clerk pursuant to section 2 of this act; 15
(c) An envelope or sleeve into which the mail ballot is inserted 16
to ensure its secrecy; and 17
(d) Instructions [.] that include, without limitation: 18
(1) An explanation that the voter may voluntarily write on 19
the return envelope the information described in paragraph (b); 20
and 21
(2) A two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a QR 22
code, or another machine-readable code used for storing the 23
Internet address for the voter services portal on the Internet 24
website of the county clerk. 25
2. In sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the city 26
clerk shall use an envelope that may not be forwarded to an address 27
of the voter that is different from the address to which the mail 28
ballot is mailed. 29
3. The return envelope must include postage prepaid by first-30
class mail if the active registered voter is within the boundaries of 31
the United States, its territories or possessions or on a military base. 32
4. Before sending a mail ballot to an active registered voter, the 33
city clerk shall record: 34
(a) The date the mail ballot is issued; 35
(b) The name of the voter to whom the mail ballot is issued, his 36
or her precinct or district and his or her political affiliation, if any, 37
unless all the offices on the mail ballot are nonpartisan offices; 38
(c) The number of the mail ballot; and 39
(d) Any remarks the city clerk finds appropriate. 40
5. The Secretary of State shall prescribe: 41
(a) The form of all envelopes in which mail ballots are sent to 42
voters and return envelopes, which must, except as otherwise 43
provided in paragraph (b), be uniform throughout the State; and 44
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(b) A method for distinguishing the return envelopes of each 1
city which must be prominently displayed on the outside of the 2
return envelope. 3
Sec. 9. NRS 293C.26327 is hereby amended to read as 4
follows: 5
293C.26327 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 6
293D.200, when a mail ballot is returned by or on behalf of a voter 7
to the city clerk, and a record of its return is made in the mail ballot 8
record for the election, the clerk or an employee in the office of the 9
clerk shall check the return envelope to determine whether the 10
voter included on the return envelope the last four digits of 11
the voter’s driver’s license, the last four digits of the voter’s social 12
security number or the voter’s voter identification number. If the 13
return envelope includes any such information and such 14
information is confirmed by the clerk to be accurate, the voter is 15
entitled to cast the mail ballot and the signature is not required to 16
be checked. If the voter did not include such information on the 17
return envelope or the information provided on the return 18
envelope is not accurate, the clerk or an employee in the office of 19
the clerk must check the signature used for the mail ballot by 20
electronic means pursuant to subsection 2 or manually pursuant to 21
subsection 3. 22
2. To check the signature used for a mail ballot by electronic 23
means: 24
(a) The electronic device must take a digital image of the 25
signature used for the mail ballot and electronically compare the 26
digital image with the signatures of the voter from his or her 27
application to register to vote or application to preregister to vote 28
available in the records of the city clerk. 29
(b) If the electronic device does not match the signature of the 30
voter, the signature shall be reviewed manually pursuant to the 31
provisions of subsection 3. 32
3. To check the signature used for a mail ballot manually, the 33
city clerk shall use the following procedure: 34
(a) The clerk or employee shall check the signature used for the 35
mail ballot against all signatures of the voter available in the records 36
of the clerk. 37
(b) If at least two employees in the office of the clerk believe 38
there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 39
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, the clerk 40
shall contact the voter and ask the voter to confirm whether the 41
signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter. 42
4. For purposes of subsection 3: 43
(a) There is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 44
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 45
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if the signature used for the mail ballot differs in multiple, 1
significant and obvious respects from the signatures of the voter 2
available in the records of the clerk. 3
(b) There is not a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 4
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter 5
if: 6
(1) The signature used for the mail ballot is a variation of the 7
signature of the voter caused by the substitution of initials for the 8
first or middle name, the substitution of a different type of 9
punctuation in the first, middle or last name, the use of a common 10
nickname or the use of one last name for a person who has two last 11
names and it does not otherwise differ in multiple, significant and 12
obvious respects from the signatures of the voter available in the 13
records of the clerk; or 14
(2) There are only slight dissimilarities between the signature 15
used for the mail ballot and the signatures of the voter available in 16
the records of the clerk. 17
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if the clerk 18
determines that the voter is entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk 19
shall deposit the mail ballot in the proper ballot box or place the 20
mail ballot, unopened, in a container that must be securely locked or 21
under the control of the clerk at all times. The clerk shall deliver the 22
mail ballots to the mail ballot central counting board to be processed 23
and prepared for counting. 24
6. If the clerk determines when checking the signature used for 25
the mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or 26
failed to affix it in the manner required by law for the mail ballot or 27
that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature 28
used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, but the 29
voter is otherwise entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk shall 30
contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a 31
signature or a confirmation that the signature used for the mail ballot 32
belongs to the voter, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, 33
the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, 34
not later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election. During 35
the period in which signatures may be cured, the clerk shall 36
ensure that employees in the office of the clerk are available by 37
telephone until at least 7 p.m. on evenings and weekends. Any 38
voicemail message or hold message used by the office of the clerk 39
must provide instructions on how a voter may provide a signature 40
or a confirmation. 41
7. The clerk shall prescribe procedures for a voter who failed to 42
affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the manner required 43
by law for the mail ballot, or for whom there is a reasonable 44
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question of fact as to whether the signature used for the mail ballot 1
matches the signature of the voter, in order to: 2
(a) Contact the voter; 3
(b) Allow the voter to provide a signature or a confirmation that 4
the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter, as 5
applicable; and 6
(c) After a signature or a confirmation is provided, as applicable, 7
ensure the mail ballot is delivered to the mail ballot central counting 8
board. 9
8. If there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the 10
signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, 11
the voter must be identified by: 12
(a) Answering questions from the city clerk covering the 13
personal data which is reported on the application to register to vote; 14
(b) Providing the city clerk, orally or in writing, including, 15
without limitation, in writing by electronic mail or text message, 16
with other personal data which verifies the identity of the voter; or 17
(c) Providing the city clerk with proof of identification as 18
described in NRS 293C.270 other than the voter registration card 19
issued to the voter. 20
9. The procedures established pursuant to subsection 7 for 21
contacting a voter must require the clerk to contact the voter, as 22
soon as possible after receipt of the mail ballot, by: 23
(a) Mail; 24
(b) Telephone, if a telephone number for the voter is available in 25
the records of the clerk; and 26
(c) Electronic means, which [may] must include, without 27
limitation [, electronic] : 28
(1) Electronic mail, if the voter has provided the clerk with 29
[sufficient information to contact the voter by such means.] an 30
electronic mail address; and 31
(2) Text message, if the voter has provided the clerk with a 32
cellular telephone number. 33
Sec. 10. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any 34
additional expenses of a local government that are related to the 35
provisions of this act. 36
Sec. 11. 1. This section and section 10 of this act become 37
effective upon passage and approval. 38
2. Sections 1 to 9, inclusive, of this act become effective: 39
(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any 40
regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative 41
tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and 42
(b) On October 1, 2025, for all other purposes. 43
H