Revises provisions relating to elections. (BDR 24-210)

Existing law requires the county or city clerk to establish procedures for the processing and counting of mail ballots. (NRS 293.269925, 293C.26325) Sections 7 and 15 of this bill require that such procedures be fair and efficient. Sections 2 and 10 of this bill require the Secretary of State and each county or city clerk to establish procedures to inform registered voters of the requirements for voting by mail ballot. Sections 2 and 10 further require each county or city clerk to provide training to election board officers and employees of the elections division of the county or city on the requirements for processing and counting mail ballots. Sections 3 and 11 of this bill require, after each election, the county or city clerk to submit a report to the Secretary of State regarding mail ballots. Sections 3 and 11 also require the Secretary of State to compile the information received from the county and city clerks and submit a summary to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Legislature or Legislative Commission, as applicable. Existing law requires that a mail ballot that is: (1) mailed to a county or city clerk be postmarked on or before the day of the election and received by 5 p.m. on the fourth day following the election; or (2) delivered by hand to the county or city clerk or any drop box before the time set for closing of the polls on election day. (NRS 293.269921, 293.269923, 293C.26321, 293C.26323) Sections 5, 6, 13 and 14 of this bill require instead that a mail ballot be delivered to the county or city clerk before the close of business of the office of the county or city clerk, as applicable, regardless of whether the mail ballot is returned by mail or delivered by hand to the county or city clerk or any drop box. Existing law requires certain persons who have not previously voted in any election for federal office in this State to include a copy of certain information in the return envelope with a mail ballot. If such a person fails to provide the information in the return envelope, the county or city clerk must allow the person to provide the required information before 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election in order for the person's mail ballot to be counted. (NRS 293.269915, 293C.26314) Sections 4 and 12 of this bill provide instead that the county or city clerk must allow the person to provide the required information before 5 p.m. on the third day following the election in order for the person's mail ballot to be counted. Existing law provides that if the county or city clerk determines when checking the signature used for the mail ballot that the voter failed to affix his or her signature or failed to affix it in the manner required by law for the mail ballot or that there is a reasonable question of fact as to whether the signature used for the mail ballot matches the signature of the voter, but the voter is otherwise entitled to cast the mail ballot, the clerk shall contact the voter and advise the voter of the procedures to provide a signature or a confirmation that the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter, as applicable. For the mail ballot to be counted, the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, not later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day following the election. (NRS 293.269927, 293C.26327) Sections 8 and 16 of this bill provide instead that for the mail ballot to be counted, the voter must provide a signature or a confirmation, as applicable, not later than 5 p.m. on the third day following the election.