Concerns Arise Over Implementing VREMS

The Nevada Secretary of State’s office remains under scrutiny over the accelerated rollout of the Voter Registration and Elections Management Solution (VREMS), with sources expressing apprehensions regarding its potential impact on election integrity.

According to insiders, there are widespread concerns within the Secretary of State’s office that the hasty implementation of the top-down election system may jeopardize the primary and presidential elections. Some fear that the system may fail altogether, with doubts cast on its efficacy and the level of trust it commands among counties.

The $30 million allocated during the last legislative session for VREMS, as mandated by Assembly Bill 422 passed in the 2021 legislature, was to create a centralized statewide voter registration database. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar has emphasized that it will enhance consistency across all 17 counties and improve transparency in voter data.

However, county registrars and clerks are raising objections to the timeline for implementation, labeling it as “asinine” and “ridiculous.” Despite many county Registrars of Voters (ROVs) expressing interest in the new system, election officials in other states, like Wisconsin, caution that similar systems typically require two to three years for implementation, not the eight months allotted by Aguilar.

Furthermore, concerns have been exacerbated by the validation process for VREMS, with only one mock election scheduled to test the new system. The inclusion of mail-in ballots in the validation process was only amended recently after widespread pushback from counties.

With the mock elections on Monday, March 11, and Tuesday, March 12, and a final implementation date set for Monday, April 1, counties have less than six weeks to prepare for early voting in the June primary. The tight timeline has raised alarms among election officials, highlighting a lack of experience among project managers and the additional burden placed on counties already engaged in various community activities.

The concerns follow a recent “glitch” in the Presidential Preference Primary (PPP), which triggered a public backlash. Despite an apology from Aguilar and assurances of election integrity, questions linger regarding the transparency and reliability of the entire election process.

To shed light on these matters, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Nevada GOP have filed public records requests seeking related information, including internal and external communications of the Secretary of State office.