LETTER: Let’s instill trust in Nevada elections

Most Nevada citizens want confidence that election results are accurate, secure and trustworthy. I believe the current system in this state leaves too many questions about how ballots are handled and when votes are counted.

Early voting ballots can be tabulated before Election Day, while mail-in ballots may arrive and be counted after Election Day. This raises important questions: How are early-voting results protected from influencing the Election Day process? And how are mail ballots securely tracked from drop-off or mailing through delivery to the county registrar?

I am particularly concerned about ballots without a clear postmark and the practice of ballot harvesting. When ballots can arrive after Election Day and still be counted, voters must have confidence that every ballot has been properly handled, verified and legally submitted. Nevada’s ballot-harvesting laws should be amended to allow only a voter’s relatives or legal guardian to submit their ballot.

One way to strengthen public confidence would be to delay opening and tabulating all ballots—including early-voting and mail ballots—until the polls have closed and all legally permitted ballots have been received. That’s plus-four days after Election Day under current Nevada statutes. Yes, this could delay the final results. But if the choice is between faster results and greater public confidence in the process, I believe transparency and trust should come first.