Nevada's vote-counting rules, timeline explained
The fight for Nevada explained
With just two weeks until Election Day, "Battleground" dives deep into critical voter dynamics across key swing states. From Nevada's influential young voters to Wisconsin's ballot box controversy, and North Carolina's housing crisis - we're examining the issues that could tip the scales in 2024. Plus, exclusive new polling reveals how Nevada's senior voters could decide the Silver State.
As the nation prepares for another highly anticipated election in 2024, Nevada is once again a state to watch. Known for its razor-thin margins and critical swing-state status, Nevada’s election process plays a significant role in national outcomes. The state has introduced new technology and streamlined systems to speed up the vote-counting process. However, because of Nevada’s mail-in ballot rules and close races, the final results might still take several days.
In a state where more than half of the electorate votes by mail, Nevada's vote-counting process is designed to ensure every valid vote is included, even if that means waiting beyond Election Day for a clear winner.
Why does Nevada take days to count all votes?
Unlike some states, Nevada allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received and counted for four days afterward. Additionally, Nevada law lets voters "cure" their ballots if their signatures don’t match those on file. These factors contribute to a longer vote-counting process, but they are designed to ensure that every valid vote is counted.
In Clark County, where a large portion of Nevada’s population resides, all votes are tabulated in one central location. This centralization can also slow down the process, but election officials have added more equipment to speed up counting.
Will we know the results in Nevada on election night?
It’s possible to see partial results from Nevada on election night, but given the state’s mail-in ballot rules, a definitive result may take days. In the 2020 election, the Associated Press didn’t call Nevada for Joe Biden until four days after the election. A similar situation could occur in 2024, especially in close races.
Clark County Election Department poll workers check in voters at a table as people vote at the Meadows Mall on October 21, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
How has Nevada upgraded its voting system for 2024?
Nevada has introduced a statewide voter registration system, replacing the county-by-county system. This top-down approach, implemented after a 2021 law, is expected to speed up voter check-in and same-day registration. The system will also help in quicker vote tabulation and reporting, with Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar emphasizing that this upgrade improves both efficiency and security.
Clark County, home to the largest voting population in the state, has also added more tabulation equipment in hopes of speeding up the counting process. Election officials are optimistic that these improvements will lead to faster results than in previous years.
What does Nevada’s mail-in voting process look like?
Mail-in voting plays a huge role in Nevada elections. Under state law, all active registered voters are automatically sent a mail-in ballot unless they opt out. Voters have until four days after Election Day to return their ballots, provided they are postmarked by Election Day. Voters can also "cure" their ballots if their signatures don’t match, adding another layer of security to ensure every vote is valid.
This extended window for receiving and counting mail-in ballots means that final results may not be available until several days after the election.
What can we expect from Nevada’s election results timeline?
According to Nevada’s election officials, counties can begin counting mail-in ballots as they are received, starting two weeks before Election Day.
This early counting should provide a head start, but the state’s extended mail-in ballot deadline and large volume of mail voters mean results may still take time. In 2020, Nevada didn’t finalize its election results until the Saturday after Election Day. Given the state’s history of tight races, we could see a similar timeline in 2024.