The state has several options for eligible Nevadans to register to vote: online, at the DMV, by mail, or on Election Day (which is Nov. 3).
To check if you’re eligible to vote, you must answer yes to the following:
- Are you a United States citizen?
- Are you 18 years old or older?
- Or are you currently 17 years old and would like to preregister? (You will be able to vote when you turn 18.)
- Have you continuously lived in your county for at least 30 days and in your precinct at least 10 days before the next election?
If so, you can register—or preregister. Here’s how:
Online
The easiest way to register to vote might be online through Vote.NV.gov, which is run by the secretary of state office.
In order to register online, you must have a Nevada DMV-issued ID—otherwise you must register in person or by mail (more on that below).
Nevadans can also update their voter registration information online, including changing residential address, name, or party affiliation.
Something to consider: According to the secretary of state’s website, anyone who registers to vote online during early voting is considered “same-day registration” and must vote in person at a polling location and show a valid Nevada ID. Meaning, if you register to vote online 14 days before Election Day, you can then only vote in person at a polling location and must show your valid Nevada driver’s license or ID card.
Fourteen days before the midterm election (Nov. 3) is Oct. 20. So if you plan to register to vote online, do so before early voting begins.
At the DMV
Every Nevadan who applies for or renews an ID or driver’s license in Nevada’s DMV is automatically registered to vote, if not already registered. This is thanks to a 2018 ballot initiative approved by voters that established the process.
Although the DMV itself does not register voters or maintain voter registration rolls, it submits drivers’ information to the secretary of state and the county clerks to do so.
To be automatically registered, applicants must meet voter requirements, such as be over the age of 18 and a US citizen. Those not eligible to vote are not submitted into the automatic voter registration system, including those under the age of 17 and people who are not US citizens.
Election Day
Same-day registration allows Nevadans to register to vote for the first time or update their existing registration on the same day they cast their ballot. While this process is convenient, there are some important details to understand.
To same-day register you must have a valid Nevada driver’s license or Nevada ID card and you must vote in-person at a polling location. Any other form of identification, including a military ID or passport, cannot be used for same-day registration to prove your identity.
If your Nevada driver’s license or ID card does not have your current residential address you will also need to present a valid proof of residence, such as: military identification card; utility bill, bank or credit union statement; paycheck; income tax return; statement concerning the mortgage, rental or lease of a residence; vehicle registration; property tax statement; or any other document issued by a governmental agency; or a tribal identification card.
Once you’re registered, you will be able to vote via a provisional ballot. For same-day registration, election officials need additional time to verify the eligibility of the voter and to verify they have not cast another ballot in Nevada.
Provisional ballots might take a few days after Election Day to be tabulated. They are included in the final election results after all the mail and in-person ballots have been counted and the same-day voter’s eligibility and identity have been verified by the county clerk—but it will still count!
Voters can check the status of their provisional ballot or mail-in ballot at NVSOS.gov/votersearch. If it shows “provisional vote” a few days after the election, you met the eligibility requirements and your ballot was counted.
By mail
Nevadans can choose to register to vote using a mail-in voter registration form. The form must be downloaded, filled out with the necessary personal information, printed, signed, and mailed (or dropped off in person) to the county clerk or registrar of voters.
If you have technical problems, you can call the secretary of state’s office at 775-684-5705 or send an email to nvelect@sos.nv.gov.
Preregistration for 17-year-olds
Since 2017, Nevadans who are 17 years old but less than 18 years old, and are US citizens, can preregister to vote.
These teens can preregister to vote online at Vote.NV.gov. Although 17-year-olds cannot vote, those preregistered are automatically deemed registered to vote in Nevada on their 18th birthday (unless the person’s preregistration is cancelled).
