Voting in Nevada on Election Day? Here’s what to expect.

The scene: It’s Tuesday, Nov. 5. You didn’t get a chance to cast your ballot during the two weeks of early voting. Not to worry! Voting sites are open across Nevada from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can either vote in person, ensure your mail ballot is postmarked by 7 p.m., or drop it off at a voting site. ¡Fácil y rápido! 

Here’s what else you need to know about voting on Election Day in Nevada. 

Some early voting locations across the state may also operate on Election Day; however, some sites are only open on Election Day, so be sure to look up where to cast your vote.

Once you arrive at your polling place, you might find other voters waiting in line — which you could take as a positive sign that people are excited to make their voices heard in this election. As long as you’re in line before 7 p.m., you will be able to vote there. So stay in line. 

If it’s your first time voting, bring your ID in case you’re same-day registering or asked to prove your identity since there’s no previous record.  

As during the early voting period, you might find tents with campaign signs where volunteers with the candidate, or the candidate themselves, may try to talk to you about their positions. (Thing to know: they must be at least 100 feet away from the entrance.) While they aim to be informative, they are not allowed to coerce you to vote for them. 

You might also encounter public observers. Public observers are regular people (not poll workers — poll workers are often in shirts that have a county logo) who often sit and watch the process. They typically stand in a dedicated area where they can watch people cast their ballots, but far enough to not infringe on your privacy and the confidentiality of your ballot. Observers cannot view your personal information, ballot, or your selections on a voting machine; they cannot disrupt voting or election workers, nor are they allowed to talk with voters.

Campaigning inside the voting site, such as wearing or bringing any campaign item into the voting area, is not allowed.

Voters in Nevada have the right to vote free from intimidation under federal and state law. And while Nevada does not have an explicit law banning guns or open-carry in polling places, firearm carry is generally illegal in several locations that are often used as polling locations, such as schools and government buildings. Even at locations where firearms are not prohibited, open-carry might constitute unlawful intimidation. 

When polls close

Unofficial results will begin to trickle in after the last voter has cast their ballot and all of the polling sites are closed. So even if the clock strikes 7 p.m., election workers must allow everyone in line by that time to vote. 

In June, ahead of the primary election, the Nevada Secretary of State’s office provided new tabulation guidelines in an attempt to speed up results, which is also being applied to the November General Election. 

On Election Day, county election departments may begin tabulating early voting ballots, including mail ballots received before Nov. 5, starting at 8 a.m. By 6 p.m. on Election Day, the Secretary of State can start reviewing the first results provided by county clerks. 

Once county clerks confirm all polls are closed and the last voter has voted, the Secretary of State’s Office will release unofficial results. State law prohibits releasing results early.

Results might take a few days and are not official until the county commissioners certify the results on or before the 10th day after the election. 

Mail ballots, postmarked by Election Day, can be received and will be counted by the election department until 5 p.m. four days after Election Day. Sometimes, mail ballots may be held or flagged by the election department because a signature is missing or the automated system is unable to read or match the signature to the one on file. So this also gives voters time to be contacted and prove their identity — aka “cure” their ballot — so it gets counted. 

Provisional ballots, which same-day registered voters receive, are often the last to be tabulated because voters’ eligibility must be verified. 

Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.