CLARK COUNTY (KTNV) — The 2024 Presidential Election is just over a week away and droves of people are still flocking to polling places during the early voting period in Clark County.
Many viewers told Channel 13 about the concerns they have with the election process.
Those concerns include double voting, fears of voter violence, and even concerns with electioneering and voter intimidation.
I brought your concerns to the Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar.
“You can never be 100% safe, but at the same time, you can definitely take action to do the best that you can," said Xan Clancy, who dropped off his mail-in ballot at the Desert Breeze polling place in the southwest valley on Monday.
Clancy dropped off his ballot alongside Jonathan Nelson.
“At least I feel a little bit more confident that I was able to fill it out in the private of my own home but come down here and drop it off at a secure location," Nelson said.
Despite some of their concerns, they both told me they feel confident in the state's ability to keep the election fair and safe.
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“Nevada runs some of the safest most secure elections in the country," Sec. Aguilar said.
Aguilar told me Monday that there are several state laws and safeguards in place to prevent these voter concerns from happening and to ensure voter integrity.
“Every mail ballot in Nevada has its own code so we know that that code is only assigned to one ballot, so we can track it across our 17 counties," Sec. Aguilar said. “And if they do vote in person first, and then attempt to mail-in [a] ballot, when the mail ballot is received by the county it gets flagged and put into a special status for review and investigation.”
Here is the Nevada State Law regarding double voting:
NRS 293.780 Voting more than once at same election.
1. A person who is entitled to vote shall not vote or attempt to vote more than once at the same election. Any person who votes or attempts to vote twice at the same election is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
2. Notice of the provisions of subsection 1 must be given by the county or city clerk as follows:
(a) Stated on all sample ballots distributed by mail or electronic means;
(b) Posted in boldface type at each polling place; and
(c) Posted in boldface type at the office of the county or city clerk.
Sec. Aguilar told me voters either have to surrender their mail-in ballot or sign a form saying they won't fill out their unused ballot if they vote in person.
The election officials will mark the ballot as void and discard it properly if you choose to surrender in person.
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Here is the state law regarding mail-in ballots:
NRS 293.269917 Procedure for voting by mail ballot; procedure for voting in person after mail ballot sent to voter.
1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 293.269919 and chapter 293D of NRS, in order to vote a mail ballot, the voter must, in accordance with the instructions:
(a) Mark and fold the mail ballot;
(b) Deposit the mail ballot in the return envelope and seal the return envelope;
(c) Affix his or her signature on the return envelope in the space provided for the signature; and
(d) Mail or deliver the return envelope in a manner authorized by law.
2. Except as otherwise provided in chapter 293D of NRS, voting must be only upon candidates whose names appear upon the mail ballot as prepared pursuant to NRS 293.269911, and no person may write in the name of an additional candidate for any office.
3. If a mail ballot has been sent to a voter who applies to vote in person at a polling place, including, without limitation, a polling place for early voting, the voter must, in addition to complying with all other requirements for voting in person that are set forth in this chapter, surrender his or her mail ballot or sign an affirmation under penalty of perjury that the voter has not voted during the election. A person who receives a surrendered mail ballot shall mark it “Cancelled.”
As for campaigning directly to voters at the polls — known as electioneering — it must be done more than 100 feet away from the polling place entrance.
“It’s, you know, managing the difference between enthusiasm and being forceful and intimidating," Sec. Aguilar said.
As long as they meet the distance requirements and do not use force, intimidation, or cause violence in any way, they're perfectly legal and can support their candidate.
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A recent Associated Press survey found that 4 out of 10 registered voters nationwide are extremely or very concerned about possible violent attempts to overturn the election results.
Sec. Aguilar said our state has an Election Integrity Task Force made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement that communicate together to shut down any violence and to make sure Nevada's voting process is a safe one even after the polls close.
Early voting runs until Friday, Nov. 1. You can also vote in-person on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Our 2024 Voter Guide has answers to questions you may have as you head to the polls — including where to find a polling place in your neighborhood and a breakdown of the seven questions you'll encounter on your 2024 ballot.
