As Nevada’s election counting stretches beyond Election Day, concerns continue about the transparency, security, and speed of mail-in ballot processing. With power outages, data discrepancies, and counting delays in Washoe and Clark counties, voters and officials are pressing the Nevada Secretary of State (SoS), the USPS, and the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for answers about protocols for handling mail ballots, especially those received after Election Day.
The core question remains: What safeguards ensure that ballots received after midnight on Election Day remain unmixed with legally cast ballots? Nevada law allows for counting ballots postmarked by Election Day if they arrive within four days, while ballots without a postmark get accepted up to three days after Election Day. However, some voters question whether these late-arriving ballots are adequately separated and verified to prevent any accidental or intentional inclusion of illegitimate ones.
Critics are also questioning Clark County ballot processing capabilities. Compared to similar-sized urban areas, the Clark County processing center appears small, equipped with fewer DPS machines, which sort mail by delivery routes, while more general AFCS machines sort by zip code. Observers are concerned that these resources may not efficiently handle the mail-in ballot volume, especially under tight deadlines.
Calculations based on mail volume raise further questions.
If Clark County processed all ballots within four days after Election Day, the AFCS machines, which can handle 32,000 pieces per hour, could process the 1.5 million statewide within that timeframe— faster than observed. Voters argue that even factoring in early voting ballots, it should not take four days to finalize mail-in ballot counts, leading to suspicions of delays beyond simple processing capacity.
The delays have focused on Nevada Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, along with Congressman Steven Horsford, who have explored possible federal funding to expand the Clark County mail processing infrastructure. Many believe a larger facility with additional machines would enable faster and more transparent processing in future elections.
Additionally, some voters allege that ballots from various zip codes are being delayed or discarded, though USPS protocols require mail to be immediately canceled, sorted, and routed. Nevada law does not currently mandate that ballots arrive by Election Day, a rule some argue complicates security. Opponents of extended counting argue that ballots should arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day to avoid postmark-related concerns.
Advocates insist on clear guidance from the Nevada SoS on ballot verification procedures with requests for an investigation into late-arriving ballots to ensure they were not improperly harvested or processed. They also want real-time camera footage at processing stations to ensure ballots were handled properly after arriving past Election Day.
Despite suspicions, Nevada law permits post-election ballot receipt for verified ballots. As counting continues, voters urge the Nevada SOS to increase transparency, expedite processing times, and address public concerns to bolster confidence in the state election results.
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