Voter Registration

In 1993, U.S. legislators adopted the National Voter Registration Act in an effort to make it easier for all eligible Americans to register to vote. This legislation, known popularly as the Motor Voter act, means that you can register to vote at your local Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles office.

Whenever you come into the DMV to change your address, renew your license, or apply for a new license or ID card, you'll be asked whether you want to also register to vote. If you do, you'll be given a form to fill out, and DMV personnel will forward it to the Registrar of Voters or County Clerk.

If you're changing your address by mail or fax, you can also request a voter registration form by checking the appropriate box on the Change of Address Notification form. A voter form will be mailed to you and you can then forward it to the County Clerk or Registrar of Voters.

Although the DMV is involved in taking voter registration forms, it does not maintain any database on voters or their information, nor does it share DMV information with the Registrar of Voters. Therefore, simply updating your address with the DMV, without requesting a voter registration form, will not automatically update your voter information.

The Qualifications

To be eligible to vote in U.S. or state elections, you must:

• Be an official U.S. citizen.

• Be 18 years or older by the election date.

• Be a resident of Nevada for at least 30 days, and a resident of your current precinct for at least 10 days before the election date.

• Not have a felony conviction that makes it unlawful for you to vote.

• Not have a court declaration stating that you are mentally incompetent to vote.

• Not have a permanent residence in any other place.

To register to vote on an absentee ballot, you must register in person at your local County Clerk or Registrar of Voters.

The Deadline

To vote in an upcoming election, registration forms must be received at least 30 days prior to that election. You can submit registration forms after that cut-off date, but your application will be held until the next election.