Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

After passing several significant pieces of pro-voter policies in its last session, the Nevada Assembly continued to pass mostly voter-friendly improvements this past session. Unfortunately, Governor Lombardo successfully vetoed some of those efforts, including legislation that would have improved voter accessibility and language access and allowed for faster election results. Due to the continued progress made by the state, Nevada received a B+ on this year’s scorecard.

Looking Back

Where Nevada Started at the Beginning of 2023

• Automatic Voter Registration: Secure AVR
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: Yes
• Restoration of Rights: Prison Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: Vote by Mail
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: Regular Ballot Early Voting
• ID Requirements: No Document Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Nevada as of 2022, we considered the state a top tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2023 activity against other top tier states. Last year, Nevada was considered a middle tier state.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2022): 7th
• EPI Score (2020): 13th
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 9/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2022): MEDIUM

2023: This Past Year

Legislative Action

The Nevada Legislature continued to pass important pro-voter policies this past year.

• S 327 expands voting opportunities on tribal lands by requiring clerks to provide an election day polling place, a ballot drop box, and an early voting location on tribal land, unless the tribe opts out.
• S 216 allows voters on tribal lands to register and/or vote via the electronic system setup for UOCAVA voters. It also requires local clerks to meet with tribes to create plans for in-person voting and drop box siting.
• A 286 expands opportunities for eligible incarcerated individuals to vote.
• S 54 requires the secretary of state to create an elections procedure manual at least once every two years and requires that the manual must be approved by the Legislative Commission every four years. The secretary may only make minor changes to the manual that do not substantively affect election administration in the years between legislative approval.
• S 406 enacts additional protections for election workers by making it a felony to threaten or use force to interfere with election worker’s duties or retaliate against them for doing duties.The bill also prohibits doxxing election officials.

Executive Action

• Unfortunately, Governor Lombardo vetoed several pro-voter pieces of legislation this past session.
  • A 242 would have increased the number of accessible voting machines required at each polling place, required election workers to be trained on use of those machines, and required all ballots to be counted by vote tabulators.
  • A 246 would have improved language access for voters.
  • S 443 would have expanded ID options for eligible individuals utilizing same day registration.
  • S 404 would have allowed local clerks to begin counting early-in person ballots as soon as the early voting period begins. This would have allowed election officials to report election results more promptly.

Implementation Action

• The secretary of state’s office continues to work on enacting all of the pro-voter policies that were passed by the Assembly over the last few years. As a core part of these efforts, the state is working steadily to overhaul the statewide voter registration system by 2024.