You can still vote in person in Carson City for the Nov. 3 General Election, if mail-in voting is not for you
Since Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced during the recent special session that all active registered voters would be mailed ballots for the upcoming 2020 General Election, many residents have been concerned about voter fraud, or their vote not being counted.
However, according to Aubrey Rowlatt, Carson City County Clerk-Recorder, if the Nov. 3 general election goes anything like the June primary, there will be very few issues.
“I think the primary went well, and we had increased voter turnout,” said Rowlatt. “It was a good election.”
All active registered voters in Carson City were mailed their ballot, which voters could either mail back after filling them out, or deposit at the polling location inside the Carson City Courthouse. On election day, many people came to vote in person, and were issued paper ballots to fill out that matched the ballot they had been mailed.
Out of the 13,699 ballots cast, only one ballot was found to have an issue, according to Rowlatt.
“In that case, there was an individual who appeared at the polling location who wanted a replacement ballot, and we had them sign an affirmation stating they did not want the original ballot, and the first was rejected,” said Rowlatt. “However, the first one did come in through the mail, but we caught it, and it was rejected. We had it investigated and its wasn’t fraudulent, people just forget.”
However, the fact that the ballot was caught proves that the checks and balances system in place at the County Clerk's office work, providing a secure election.
“We didn’t have any one trying to turn in ballots for people who were dead, or for animals, or anything like that,” said Rowlatt. “The only people who can vote are registered voters, whose signatures we have on file.”
The only difference between the primary vote and the general election vote in November will be that instead of only paper ballots, there will be voting machines at the polling location so that in person voters will be able to cast their vote in the traditional manner.
“I know that will make a lot of people happy,” said Rowlatt. “There are a lot of logistics on our end having just received the mandate on Sunday, and we’re figuring out what is going to be best for Carson City in terms of offering a location to our voters where they will be able to maintain social distancing.”
The County Clerk’s office will announce the general election in-person polling location shortly, once they can determine it is the appropriate location under the governor’s mandate.
For those residents who would prefer to vote in person and are concerned over their vote not being counted, they can take comfort knowing that the voting machines will be back come November 3.