A federal review of Nevada’s 2020 election records identified 38 possible noncitizens in voter data, a finding that has renewed debate over election integrity in a state known for razor-thin margins. According to reports citing the FBI’s review, investigators compared Nevada voter rolls with federal data and found 38 individuals who may have been noncitizens.
Officials have said it remains unclear whether those individuals actually cast ballots in the 2020 election. Some political leaders and election officials have downplayed the number, noting it represents a tiny fraction of the millions of ballots cast in Nevada elections.
But others argue the issue still matters in a state where even a small number of questionable votes could influence extremely close races.
One of the best examples is the 2020 race for Clark County Commission District C. Democrat Ross Miller defeated Republican Stavros Anthony by just 15 votes out of more than 153,000 ballots cast. The final certified results showed Miller with 76,597 votes and Anthony with 76,582.
Election officials also reported 139 ballot discrepancies during that race, including clerical issues, check-in mismatches, and potential double-voting attempts. The number of discrepancies was nearly ten times the margin of victory.
At the time, the Clark County Commission initially declined to certify the election results, saying members lacked confidence in the outcome. A judge later ordered the commission to certify the race, and a recount slightly widened Miller’s lead, but the margin remained just 15 votes.
Meanwhile, concerns about voter rolls in Nevada have increased because of the number of legal challenges in recent years. President Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee, and the Nevada Republican Party previously filed a lawsuit alleging the state failed to maintain voter registration lists and that thousands of noncitizens had registered.
In October 2024, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling the plaintiffs lacked legal standing. The court did not rule on the underlying allegations.
After Trump’s reelection in 2024, then–U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah asked the FBI to review potential cases of noncitizen voting in the 2020 election. The bureau’s review was recently closed after identifying only 38 possible noncitizens in the data examined.
Democrats have pointed to the small number as evidence that Nevada’s election system is functioning properly. Republicans, meanwhile, argue that even a small number of improper votes matters in close races and say the findings underscore the need for continued oversight of voter rolls.
Election experts note that public confidence in elections often depends not only on the size of irregularities but also on transparency and verification processes. In a state where several elections have been decided by narrow margins, even small numbers can draw attention from voters and political leaders alike.
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