Democratic Secretary of State Ross Miller is considering having Nevadans vote by mail only for the upcoming special election for the open seat in Nevada’s 2nd U.S. House District as a way to save money.
Miller sent letters to Nevada’s 17 county registrars Thursday, asking them for costs estimates on running a mail-ballot only election instead of a polling-place format.
Dan Burk, the Washoe County registrar, said he likes the idea. “It would be cheaper for us to do it this way and certainly it would be easier for us to administer,” Burk said.
Washoe County has about 57 percent of all voters in the district, although every county in the state has at least some of its territory in the district.
Burk estimated a mail-only ballot would increase voter turnout by about 10 percent.
“It’s the convenience of it,” Burk said. “People could just turn right around, mark their ballot, put it back in the mail, and it’s all paid for, on the way back to us. People don’t have to worry about going somewhere, being somewhere on Election Day, at an assigned polling place, or any of that stuff.”
Miller has asked the clerk to return their opinions to him by the end of next week, according to a press release. The special election is set for Sept. 13.
Burk said he is unsure of the cost savings, since he is still formulating those estimates. If the election is held in the regular manner, it would cost the county less than $300,000.
Full Article: Miller asks about vote-by-mail for special election | Reno Gazette-Journal | rgj.com.