How to Make Your 2020 Vote Count 

by Mark Leonard

This year all registered voters in the State of Nevada will have choices on how they want to cast their vote. In person voting is preferred with early voting from October 17 to October 30, or on Election Day November 3. Voters who choose to use Mail In their ballots must have them postmarked no later than November 3 for their vote to count. It is important that voters do everything in their power to insure their vote counts. Here is the most important recommendation:

Vote in person or drop your ballot at one of the polling locations.

Here are the steps to take to insure your vote counts.

1. Check your voter status online – ASAP! Go to the Washoe County Registrar of voters website at https://www.washoecounty.us/voters/registration/voter-registration.php Enter your last name and birth date.
2. Watch for your ballot in the mail. If you have not received your ballot by October 12, call the Registrar’s office at (775) 328-3670, or go to their offices at 1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg A, Reno.
3. Vote early. Once you receive your ballot, we recommend that you vote as early as possible. Please fill out the ballot completely and sign the envelope as indicated.
4. Hand-deliver your ballot or vote on a machine. Washoe County will have in-person polling stations open from October 17 to October 30 from 9:00am to 7:00pm daily, and on Election Day, November 3 from 7:00am to 7:00pm. You can visit the Registrar’s Office at 9th and Wells and vote in person there, or at one of the other polling locations. This will minimize the number of people handling your ballot. If you hand in your ballot at any of the polling stations, make sure that they scan your ballot! If you turn in your ballot at the Registrar’s Office, they will scan it later that day.

HINT: you will be required to wear a mask and have your temperature checked at all polling locations. If you choose to vote with your ballot, there will be a line designated for this, which should reduce your wait time. 

5. Do NOT mail your ballot. We strongly discourage you from mailing your ballot. There have been too many instances of mail not getting delivered.
6. Check to make sure your ballot has been received. Within 48 hours of voting, go back online to the Registrar’s website (above) and check to make sure your ballot is in the system. If it isn’t, contact the Registrar (see Step 2).
7. Ask for help. If you are unable to vote in person for any reason, or you know anyone who cannot vote in person, please contact our office at the Washoe County Republican Party at (775) 827-1900 and we will arrange for one of our volunteers to come to your location and pick up your ballot and deliver it in person to the Registrar of Voters.

Frequently Asked Questions

• When will my vote be counted? The Registrar of Voters will begin opening ballots and tallying them 15 days prior to November 3rd this year. The earlier you get your ballot in, the easier it will be for the Registrar’s staff to provide an accurate count on Election Day.
• Do I have to go to a particular polling place? No, any Washoe County voter can go to any of the designated polling stations.
• Should I request an Absentee Ballot? You can request an absentee ballot if you want to, especially if you want to be listed as a permanent absentee voter.
• How many ballots are signature verified? By state law, every single ballot will be signature verified using multiple signatures on record.
• What if the Registrar of Voters says my signature doesn’t match? You will be notified and will have the opportunity to cure the mismatch. If the Registrar has the voter’s email or phone number, they will first attempt to notify using those means, otherwise they will send out a letter notifying the voter.
• What is the latest I can register to vote and receive a ballot? You must register with the Registrar before midnight on October 15. If you miss this date, you must vote in person.
• Can I register to vote on Election Day? Yes you can. You will be required to provide a Nevada Drivers License or ID, plus additional proof of residence, and your vote will be provisional pending verification.
• Isn’t turning in ballots for someone else illegal? It used to be a felony until AB4 was passed. Now it is legal. Please note, there is no tracking of people who turn in ballots for someone else. Please know to whom you are giving your ballot.
• Can my ballot be counted after November 3? Ballots that are postmarked on or before November 3 will be counted, even if they arrive at the Registrar after November 3. If the postmark is November 4 or later, it will not be counted.
• When will all ballots be counted? Counting ends 9 days after the election on November 12.

Early Voting Locations – Oct 17 to Oct 30  9:00am to 7:00pm daily

• Double Diamond Athletic Club – 9400 Double Diamond Pkwy, Reno 89521
• Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Admin Bldg. – 208 Capitol Hill, Nixon 89424
• South Valley Library – 15650A Wedge Pkwy, Reno 89511
• Downtown Reno Library – 301 S Center St, Reno 89501
• Registrar of Voters Office – 1001 E 9th St, Reno 89512
• Spanish Springs Library – 7100 Pyramid Hwy, Sparks 89436
• Incline Village Library – 845 Alder Ave, Incline Village 89451
• Reno-Sparks Convention Center – 4590 S. Virginia St, Reno 89502
• Sparks Library – 1125 12th St, Sparks 89431
• Northwest Reno Library – 2325 Robb Dr, Reno 89523
• Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Gym – 34 Reservation Rd Bldg B, Reno 89502
• Sun Valley Neighborhood Center – 115 W 6th Ave, Sun Valley 89433
• North Valleys Library – 1075 North Hills Blvd, Reno 89506
• Reno Town Mall – 4001 S. Virginia St, Reno 89502
• UNR – Lawlor Events Center – Upper Concourse – UNR Campus, Reno 89557

For more information on voting and voting locations, please log onto the Washoe County Republican Party website at: www.washoegop.org.