'Voter mailer is a mistake': Carson City Clerk-Recorder addresses voter confusion, but reasons provided are untrue
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Thu, 10/03/2024 - 12:12pm
A number of Carson City residents became concerned after they received what some are calling rather confusing voting instructions in the mail.
The mailer states that individuals should update their signatures in their voter registration to assist in streamlining voting. However, there is no section on the mailer to provide a signature, or any information required to verify the signature is coming from the designated voter.
This is because Clerk-Recorder Scott Hoen asked the Secretary of State not to ask for verifying information out of concern for voter privacy, he told the Board of Supervisors Thursday during public comment.
The issue stems from the Secretary of State's office he said, and that they had originally wanted to send out mailers asking for signature updates along with a driver's license number and social security number as part of the verification process, "on an exposed postcard."
However, this is not entirely accurate; what the mailers asked for, according to the Secretary of State's Office was one of the following: a date of birth, the last four digits the voter's social security number or the last four digits of their driver's license, but not the full numbers.
"I asked the Secretary of State not to make that request of voters, so they changed the postcard," Hoen said.
Hoen said that Carson is the only county out of Nevada's 17 that they did the change for.
However, what the change actually entailed was not including the returnable postcard, but the language on the mailer was not updated, which is causing the confusion.
The insert that Carson City voters received reads:
As we prepare for the upcoming general election, we are reaching out to give you the oportunity to update the signature we have on file for you. Nevada law requires us to use your signature to confirm your identity when voting (NRS 293.269927 and NRS 293.285) and having an updated signature will make it easier to process your mail ballot or check you in at a polling place! Please sign, detach, and mail the included signature update postcard.
The confusion didn't stop there, however; Hoen said that residents received the mailer on October 2, which asked the signatures to be returned by October 1. This is an anomaly, as other counties received their mailers weeks ago, but Hoen did not comment on why Carson voters received theirs so late. We’ll update why these were so received so much later when we have that information.
"It was a mistake, and it was simply a mistake, and I'm sorry it is causing such frustration and confusion," Hoen said. "You do not need to do anything other than vote."
Hoen said voters do not need to bring the card to vote, and they'll be receiving their sample ballot within the next few days.
"Get ready to vote on early voting, which begins on October 19 through November 1, and election day on November 5," Hoen said. "Our election workers are ready for the election and excited to bring a couple of new locations for you to drop off mail ballots in a secure way not to have to rely on the postal service."
There will be five total mail-ballot drop off locations, including a new location at city hall, as well as locations within the Washoe reservation.
For all other election information in Carson City, please visit https://www.carson.org/government/departments-a-f/clerk-recorder/electio...
