What is Mail Ballot Voting

Mail ballots accommodate voters who cannot or do not wish to vote in person during early voting or on election day.  After the request is processed, the voter will be sent mail ballot voting materials, which include a paper ballot and voting instructions.  

Who May Vote by Mail

Any registered voter, for any reason, may request a mail ballot.  The request must be in WRITING.

First-Time Voters Who Did Not Provide Identification (I.D.) When They Registered May Be Required to Present I.D. When They Vote:  If you:  (a) Did not provide appropriate identification when you registered to vote in Clark County for the first time; (b) Your registration data subsequently did not match DMV or SSA Records (you will be notified by mail if this is the case); and (c) You have not yet voted in a Clark County election:

You must provide a copy of appropriate I.D. when you request a mail ballot for the first time.  Acceptable forms of I.D. include:  (a)  Current and valid Nevada Driver's License or State I.D. Card (driver's licenses and I.D. cards from other states are NOT acceptable); (b) Other current and valid identifying document, such as a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or document issued by a government entity such as a check with your name and residential address. 

If you do not include a copy of your I.D. with your mail ballot request, you may still submit it along with your voted mail ballot, inside the official return envelope.

If you still do not provide a copy of your I.D. along with your voted mail ballot, your ballot will become a provisional ballot.  Only your choices for federal offices, e.g., President, U.S. Senate and Congress, may be counted AND only if you submit a copy of your I.D. to the Election Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday after election day.

If you never provide I.D., your ballot will not be counted.

When to Submit a Mail Ballot Request

EACH CALENDAR YEAR, you must submit a properly completed mail ballot request to the Election Department.  Nevada does not provide for permanent mail ballot status.  Certain exceptions apply to military and overseas voters (see below).  The Election Department must receive your request on or before the 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before election day:

Where Mail Ballot Requests are Available

The Election Department:

Click here to print a Mail Ballot Request form.

Call 702-455-6552 to have a Mail Ballot Request Card sent to you.

Write Your Own Letter If You Do Not Have A Printer:  Click here for instructions.

How to Submit a Mail Ballot Request

After properly completing your written request, mail, fax (702-455-2831) or hand deliver it to the Election Department by the deadline.

When to Expect Your Mail Ballot

In federal/state elections (even-numbered years), delivery of mail ballots begins 20 days before Election Day for in-state voters and 45 days before Election Day for out-of-state voters.  If you request a mail ballot and do not receive it at least 10 days before Election Day, IMMEDIATELY call 702-455-6552.  Do not delay as abbreviated time frames make it difficult to receive, vote and return a mail ballot by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

How to Vote and Return a Mail Ballot

Follow the Voting Instructions:  Carefully read and follow the instructions included with your mail ballot.  You must return your voted mail ballot in the envelope provided for that purpose.  You must also personally sign the outside of that envelope. 

Who May Drop Off Your Voted Mail Ballot:  Only the voter who requested the mail ballot or a family member may return the voted mail ballot.  If a family member returns it, he/she must sign a statement confirming he/she is a member of the voter’s family.

Do NOT Drop Off Your Voted Mail Ballot at a Polling Place:  Per Nevada law, Election Day and early voting polling places cannot accept a voted mail ballot.  You may drop it off at the Election Department.

When to Return a Voted Mail Ballot

The Election Department must receive your voted mail ballot by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day in order for your ballot to be counted.

Voting In-Person Instead of by Mail

If you requested a mail ballot, you still have the option of voting on an electronic voting machine at an early voting site or at your Election Day polling place.  If you are in a mailing precinct (see section below on "Mailing Precincts"), you may vote in-person at any early vote site, but on Election Day, you may vote in-person only at one of the Clark County Election Department's offices.

You will need to do one of the following when you vote in-person instead of by mail:

If You Have Your Mail Ballot:  Surrender your voted or unvoted mail ballot (in the packet sent to you) to an election official at the voting site.  He/she will then process you to vote.

If You Do Not Have Your Mail Ballot:  You will sign an affirmation at the voting site swearing that you have not already voted in the current election.  An election official will verify your affirmation against Election Department records.

Mailing Precincts

Your Voter Registration Card will show if you are in a mailing precinct.  You may also call 455-VOTE (8683) or send an e-mail to elinfo@co.clark.nv.us to find out.  A precinct may be designated as a "mailing precinct" if it has 200 voters or less or if 200 voters or less voted in the last statewide general election.  Voters in mailing precincts:

Automatically Receive a Mail Ballot:  You do not have to request a mail ballot if you are registered in a mailing precinct, unless you want your ballot mailed to a different address.

May Vote In Person During Early Voting:  You may vote at a polling site during the 14-day early voting period if you either surrender your mail ballot or sign an affirmation swearing you have not already voted in the current election.

May Vote In Person on Election Day Only at the Election Department:  Per Nevada law, you may vote in person on Election Day, but only at one of the Clark County Election Department's offices, and you must either surrender your mail ballot or sign an affirmation swearing you have not already voted in the current election.

Military and Overseas Residents

Military personnel and their dependents temporarily living outside of the state of Nevada, and Clark County residents temporarily living overseas, should submit a “Registration and Absentee Ballot Request - Federal Post Card Application” (FPCA) instead of the standard Mail Ballot Request Card.  The FPCA mail ballot request is valid through the next two regularly scheduled general elections for federal offices (e.g., 2008 and 2010).  The FPCA is available from Voting Officers at military bases, U.S. embassies or consulates and the Election Department.

It is also available from the Clark County Election Department.  Click here to request that we mail you an FPCA as part of your mail ballot request (make sure you indicate you are either in the military, are a dependent of a person in the military or are an overseas resident).  You may also call the Election Department at 702- 455-6552 or mail us a letter.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) also has information on this topic.

Unlawful Acts

Fraudulently Requesting a Mail Ballot:  It is a felony for a person to fraudulently request a mail ballot in the name of another person or to induce or coerce another person to fraudulently request a mail ballot in the name of another person (NRS 293.313).

Voting More than Once:  It is a felony for an eligible voter to vote or attempt to vote more than once in the same election (NRS 293.780).

Bribery:  It is a felony to bribe, offer a bribe, or use any other corrupt means, directly or indirectly, to influence any voter in giving his vote or to deter him/her from giving it (NRS 293.700).