Early Voting Urged to Avoid Delays in Ballot Counting
The efficient processing of mail ballots is crucial to timely election results, as evidenced by the delays experienced during the June primary when a mere 30% of eligible voters participated. With expectations of a much higher turnout for the upcoming election on November 3, voters are being encouraged to submit their ballots early.
Bethany Drysdale from Washoe County emphasized the importance of early voting, stating, “We don’t want to be last! We don’t want to be made fun of for being the last county counting our ballots.” With the anticipation of voter turnout doubling, she advises constituents to return their mail ballots promptly.
While Clark County can manage ballot processing around the clock, Washoe County lacks this capacity. Hence, Drysdale warns against procrastination, saying, “If we get tens of thousands of ballots on Election Day, it’s going to take a long time to count them, and that’s going to be a problem. We really want results early and fast, and you can help us do that.”
Submitting ballots early also provides voters the chance to verify their identities if signature issues arise, thus preventing the disqualification of votes due to late postmarks. Reflecting on the primary, Drysdale remarked, “Those 1,800 voters deserved to have their ballots counted, and they didn’t, because they were dropped off too late.”
In addition to mail-in voting, residents have the option to vote in person on Election Day or during the early voting period, which spans from October 17 to 30.
