Nevada

Articles about voting issues in Nevada.

Nevada: DNC to recommend scrapping Iowa, Nevada virtual caucus plans | Associated Press

Aug 30 2019
» The Voting News

The Democratic National Committee will recommend scrapping state plans to offer virtual, telephone-based caucuses in 2020 due to security concerns, sources tell The Associated Press. The final choice whether to allow virtual caucuses in Iowa and Nevada is up to the party’s powerful Rules and Bylaws Committee. But opposition from DNC’s executive and staff leadership makes it highly unlikely the committee would keep the virtual caucuses, leaving two key early voting states and the national party a short time to fashion an alternative before the February caucuses. The state parties had planned to allow some voters to cast caucus votes over the telephone in February 2020 instead of showing up at traditional caucus meetings. Iowa and Nevada created the virtual option to meet a DNC mandate that states open caucuses to more people, but two sources with knowledge of party leaders’ deliberations say there are concerns that the technology used for virtual caucuses could be subject to hacking. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose internal party discussions.

Full Article: DNC to recommend scrapping Iowa, Nevada virtual caucus plans.

Nevada: Cybersecurity experts from around the world descend on Las Vegas for Black Hat 2019 | KVVU

Aug 7 2019
» The Voting News

Cellphones, cars, even your refrigerator. They’re all “smart.” But so are some criminals who want to hack into those smart systems. That’s why cybersecurity experts from around the world are in Las Vegas this week. They’re not here to hack your phone or your credit card (hopefully). They’re learning how to stop the bad guys. “It’s become summer camp for hackers in the desert,” said Black Hat General Manager Steve Wylie. For the 23rd year, camp is in session. With new technology comes new vulnerabilities. “There’s tremendous value from understanding how a bad guy might get in. So if we can reverse engineer that and understand how to better protect ourselves and our systems,” said Wylie. Voting machines could be very vulnerable during the 2020 election. Black Hat surveyed cybersecurity experts from around the world. They said there’s a 60% chance the 2020 presidential election will be hacked. “That’s alarming because this is coming from the very people who are protecting those systems in our organizations,” said Wylie.

Full Article: Cybersecurity experts from around the world descend on Las Vegas for Black Hat 2019 | Las Vegas Local Breaking News, Headlines | fox5vegas.com.

Nevada: Iowa, Nevada to Launch Caucus Voting by Phone for 2020 | Michelle L. Price and Thomas Beaumont/Associated Press

Jul 8 2019
» The Voting News

Democrats in the early presidential contest states of Iowa and Nevada will be able to cast their votes over the telephone instead of showing up at their states’ traditional neighborhood caucus meetings next February, according to plans unveiled by the state parties. The tele-caucus systems, the result of a mandate from the Democratic National Committee, are aimed at opening the local-level political gatherings to more people, especially evening shift-workers and people with disabilities, whom critics of the caucuses have long said are blocked from the process. The changes are expected to boost voter participation across the board, presenting a new opportunity for the Democratic Party’s 2020 candidates to drive up support in the crucial early voting states. “This is a no-excuse option” for participation, said Shelby Wiltz, the Nevada Democrats’ caucus director. Party officials don’t have an estimate of how many voters will take advantage of the call-in option. But in Iowa, some recent polls show as many as 20% of Democrats will participate virtually. In Nevada, most voters tend to cast ballots early during regular elections, and party officials expect many will take advantage of the early presidential vote. While rolling out a new voting system holds the promise of more voter participation, it also comes with potential risk for confusion or technical troubles. But the party is moving forward to try and address long-standing criticism that the caucuses are exclusionary and favor some candidates over others.

Full Article: Iowa, Nevada to Launch Caucus Voting by Phone for 2020 | Iowa News | US News.

Nevada: New election laws impact Nevada voters | Terri Russell/KOLO

Jul 5 2019
» The Voting News

Imagine not having to meet various deadlines to register to vote in Nevada. Instead, during early voting or even on Election Day, you can register and vote all at the same time. ”And they are also going to be able to register to vote online from home during the early voting period and then go to the polling place and case a ballot,” says Wayne Thorley, Nevada Deputy Secretary of State for Elections. Same-day registration is just one of the many new laws Nevada’s Secretary of State must contend with before the presidential election in 2020. The office is working on ways to connect the same-day registration, probably online, confirm it and place it in the system along with the votes cast.

Full Article: New election laws impact Nevada voters.

Nevada: Republicans seek to tighten election rules | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Feb 12 2019
» VerifiedVoting

A series of Republican-sponsored bills seek to tighten rules on elected officials running for another office and for minor-party office seekers who switch parties to run. A third item would make the registrar of voters in the state’s two largest counties, Washoe and Clark, an elected rather than appointed post. All three measures were heard Monday by the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections, which did not vote on them. A “resign-to-run” measure would require elected officeholders to resign their current office if they announce candidacy for a different elected office more than a year before their current term ends. They would be resigned automatically if they don’t resign on their own. Resulting vacancies would be filled under current procedures for vacant seats.

Full Article: Nevada Republicans seek to tighten election rules | Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Many ex-felons in Nevada can regain right to vote, but thousands held back by misconceptions, opaque process | The Nevada Independent

Oct 5 2018
» The Voting News

Kevin Wong voted in the 2008 election, but after being convicted on charges including armed robbery, theft and aggravated assault, he never thought he’d be able to go to the polls again. “I was released from prison on Nov. 6,” he said — two days before the 2016 elections. “And I found it ironic that although I’d watched every debate inside, I was now disenfranchised.” But with help from the Restore Your Vote campaign, which helps people with criminal records navigate a complicated patchwork of state laws that limit or revoke their voting rights, Wong was able to determine he is, in fact, allowed to vote. Last week, he received his voter registration card, and he plans to cast his vote in the general election.

Full Article: Many ex-felons in Nevada can regain right to vote, but thousands held back by misconceptions, opaque process - The Nevada Independent.

Nevada: Group looks to help Nevada felons regain voting rights | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Oct 3 2018
» The Voting News

With the voter registration deadline looming, a new organization is encouraging Nevada’s felons to push past misinformation and re-secure their right to cast a ballot. Almost 90,000 people in Nevada, or about 4 percent of the voter-age population, are unable to vote because of state laws. But there are avenues available for felons to regain the right, advocates said Tuesday morning at a press conference outside the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas. “You have a pathway to restoring your voting rights. That’s often the biggest misconception,” said Aaron Esparza, organizer of Las Vegas Restore Your Vote. The national campaign, an offshoot of the Campaign Legal Center, has launched in Nevada, Alabama, Alaska and Texas.

Full Article: Group looks to help Nevada felons regain voting rights – Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Voting machine problems were much bigger than first thought | Reno Gazette Journal

Aug 28 2018
» The Voting News

For hundreds of Nevada voters and candidates, June’s primary election did not go as planned. Officials said then that a spate of well-publicized voting machine problems — including glitches that left some candidates off of ballots or displayed the wrong slate of ballot choices — only affected a small handful of voters. But a Reno Gazette Journal review of public records found more than 300 reported machine malfunctions across the state. More than 100 were recorded in Washoe County alone. Those software hiccups contributed to a double-voting snafu that forced officials to call a rare special election in Clark County. Records reveal they also saw Washoe threatened with at least one election-challenging lawsuit amid widespread reports of candidates being left off the ballot. Now, little more than two months ahead of the general election, elections officials have said in interviews with the RGJ they don’t know how many improperly displayed ballots might have gone unnoticed by voters and unreported to poll workers during the primary.

Full Article: Nevada voting glitches higher than reported for 2018 primary.

Nevada: State targets $4.3M in US grants to safeguard voter rolls | Associated Press

Aug 22 2018
» The Voting News

The state of Nevada is spending nearly $4.3 million in federal grants to shore up its election systems, with the bulk of the money targeted for safeguarding voter registration rolls and lesser amounts to tighten cybersecurity and improve communication between county and state election officers. The money is included in a report the U.S. Election Assistance Commission released Tuesday showing how states plan to spend $380 million allocated by Congress last spring to strengthen voting systems amid ongoing threats from Russia and others under the Help America Vote Act. The largest chunk nationally — roughly 36 percent — is being spent to improve cybersecurity in 41 states and territories.

Full Article: Nevada targets $4.3M in US grants to safeguard voter rolls - Fairfield Citizen.

Nevada: State aims to avoid software, human errors in general election | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jul 30 2018
» The Voting News

With new voting machines and millions of dollars in new funding for enhanced security, Nevada officials had hoped for hiccup-free elections this year. But hiccups were exactly what they got. The combination of problematic new software and human error allowed up to 43 Clark County voters to cast two ballots in the June 12 primary. Six of those people, it was revealed last week, are being investigated by the state for potential voter fraud. Two of those being investigated are Republican, two are Democrat, and two are independents, Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria said. The Nevada secretary of state’s office confirmed that an investigation has been launched, but did not provide details.

Full Article: Nevada aims to avoid software, human errors in general election – Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Human error, tech problems cause of double voting in primary election | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jun 21 2018
» The Voting News

Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria said Wednesday that a combination of human error and technical problems allowed up to 43 voters to cast ballots twice in the primary election. During a County Commission meeting to certify election results, Gloria said he is unsure why some voters believed their first attempt to vote was unsuccessful. But he explained that volunteer poll workers during early voting and on Election Day did not confirm whether those voters’ ballots had been properly submitted before they were allowed to re-vote. “Had that been done, we probably would have avoided this whole situation,” he said, adding that it is his department’s responsibility to properly train poll workers.

Full Article: Human error, tech problems cause of double voting in primary election – Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Officials still probing glitches with voting machines | Reno Gazette Journal

Jun 20 2018
» The Voting News

Nearly a week after Nevada’s primary election, officials are yet to look under the hood to see what caused glitches with Washoe County’s new voting machines. County Registrar of Voters Deanna Spikula said her office was still working to finalize and audit results from last week’s primary election and had not had a chance to conduct a full assessment of what went wrong with the county’s recently unveiled, multimillion-dollar election hardware. Officials last week said they were aware of fewer than 10 voters affected by well-publicized malfunctions that left some candidates off of ballots or displayed the wrong slate of ballot choices — potentially giving voters a chance to help decide races they weren’t eligible to vote in.

Full Article: Election Day: Officials still probing glitches with voting machines.

Nevada: 43 double votes may prompt redo of Clark County election | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jun 20 2018
» The Voting News

Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria is calling for a redo of a primary election decided by a razor-thin margin because 43 voters may have cast ballots twice as a result of an “unacceptable” failure in procedure by poll workers. Aaron Manfredi won the Republican primary for county administrator on June 12 by only four votes. A total of 59,032 votes were cast in that race. “Because the number of discrepancies is higher than the difference in the candidates’ totals, (the registrar) is unable to certify the results of this race and is calling for a special election to resolve the contest,” county spokesman Dan Kulin wrote in a statement. … Gloria said Monday that double-voting happened at multiple polling places and occurred both on election day and during early voting. He added that the county’s new touch-screen voting machines were not to blame.

Full Article: 43 double votes may prompt redo of Clark County election – Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Election officials to consider changes after court’s voter purge ruling | Associated Press

Jun 18 2018
» The Voting News

Nevada’s elections officials say they will consider this summer whether the state will start taking a more aggressive, approach to maintaining its voter rolls as upheld this week by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court in a 5-4 ruling Monday affirmed Ohio’s practice of identifying voters for potential removal if they don’t vote in a federal election. That state removes voters from the rolls if they don’t return an address confirmation card or vote for the following four years.

Nevada: Washoe officials looking at reports that candidates were left off ballots | Reno Gazette Journal

Jun 14 2018
» The Voting News

Washoe County is looking into multiple reports of candidates being left off primary election ballots, officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon. Officials also heard complaints from voters who said Washoe’s new voting machines had offered them a previous voter’s candidate choices, potentially giving them a chance to cast a ballot in races they aren’t eligible to vote in. County Registrar of Voters Deanna Spikula said fewer than 10 voters had been affected by the glitches.  “At this time none of these issues will affect tabulation and again, all voters have successfully cast their ballots at the polls,” Spikula said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference.

Full Article: Nevada primary: Ballot problems reported in Washoe County.

Nevada: ‘Isolated’ vote glitches solved with Nevada voting machines | Associated Press

Jun 13 2018
» The Voting News

Officials reported “isolated” primary voting glitches Tuesday involving the state’s new touch-screen voting machines in Nevada’s two most populous areas, and blamed the system for a technical problem that delayed the count of ballots in one rural northern county. Registrars in Las Vegas and Reno said a small number of voting machines failed to properly display all candidates’ names early in the day, and a state official and a member of The Associated Press election tabulation team said the vote tally was delayed for more than two hours after polls closed in Pershing County. In no case were voters unable to successfully cast a ballot with help from poll workers, said Jennifer Russell, spokeswoman for the Nevada Secretary of State’s office.

Full Article: 'Isolated' vote glitches solved with Nevada voting machines | Myrtle Beach Sun News.

Nevada: Backers of state Senate recalls file last-chance appeal, likely heads to state Supreme Court | The Nevada Independent

May 31 2018
» The Voting News

Backers of groups attempting to recall two Democratic state senators are moving to appeal a court decision that found their efforts failed to gain enough signatures to qualify for a special election, likely sending the case to the state Supreme Court. The two political action committees seeking to qualify a recall effort against state Sens. Nicole Cannizzaro and Joyce Woodhouse on Tuesday filed a notice of intent to appeal an April decision by District Court Judge Jerry Wiese that neither recall petition had enough signatures to qualify for a special recall election, after the removal of several blocks of invalid signatures. The appeal is a last-chance effort for backers of the recall efforts, which were launched 10 months ago and need a favorable ruling from the state’s highest court to continue moving forward.

Full Article: Backers of state Senate recalls file last-chance appeal, likely heads to state Supreme Court - The Nevada Independent.

Nevada: State takes measures to ensure election security | Las Vegas Review-Journal

May 7 2018
» The Voting News

Allegations that Russian hacking, fake news and voter fraud influenced the 2016 election have made election security and integrity a paramount national issue. And with early voting for Nevada’s midterm primary kicking off in less than three weeks, that issue hasn’t been lost on election officials. “Voters should absolutely have confidence in the system in place,” said Wayne Thorley, deputy secretary of state for elections in Nevada. “They should have confidence that when they go and cast a ballot that it will be recorded correctly and that their vote counts.”

Full Article: Nevada takes measures to ensure election security – Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: Elections chief: 63,000 voter names made inactive | Associated Press

Apr 6 2018
» The Voting News

More than 63,000 people whose names were moved last month from active to inactive status on Nevada voter registration rolls can still vote, a top state elections official said Thursday. Most probably moved without updating their voter registration address, said Wayne Thorley, deputy elections official to Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske. Cegavske announced late Wednesday that the state tallied 1.4 million active registered voters statewide during regular voter list maintenance in March, down nearly 4.3 percent from February. About 4.8 percent of Democratic party voter names were moved to inactive status during the month, and 2.6 percent of Republican party names, a statement from Cegavske said.

Full Article: Nevada elections chief: 63,000 voter names made inactive | National Politics | dailyjournalonline.com.

Nevada: State taking steps to prevent election hacking | Las Vegas Sun

Mar 20 2018
» The Voting News

Election officials across the country are looking to shore up election systems against hacking, a facet of the 2016 election that led to a yearlong congressional investigation. Nevada is organizing cybersecurity under a new central hub, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, and is among more than 35 states sending officials to a cyber security incident response training at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center in Massachusetts later this month. Hackers linked to Russia targeted election systems in 21 states during the 2016 election. The Nevada Secretary of State announced in September that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed Nevada was not one of those states.

Full Article: Nevada taking steps to prevent election hacking - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper.