Registrar of Voters

The easiest way to register to vote is online. All you need
is your driver's license number and your social security number. No paper
required! Just click on the "Register to Vote" link on our front page, or go to click here, and you'll
be directed to the Nevada Secretary of State's secure website for quick and
easy registration. You can also register to vote by completing a "Voter
Registration Application" and presenting it to the Registrar of Voters Office,
the DMV, any State Welfare Agency or by mailing the form to the Registrar of
Voters Office, 1001 E. 9th Street, Reno, NV 89520.

Whenever you initiate a transaction with our office; whether that be from updating your registration, changing your party, letting us know where your new address is or updating your signature, this all could trigger a new mail ballot to be sent to you. Whenever updates are made to your registration, we send you a new mail ballot to reflect the most updated information you have provided us. 

Trips to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) could also cause this, as your voter registration information could be updated along with any other changes you make there.

The sample ballot is a tool to help voters know what races are in the election as well as provide instructions on how and where to vote. Sample ballots are mailed to every registered voter within Washoe County, unless opted out. You can use our online tool to find yours digitally.

If you receive a ballot that is not yours, it is likely the individual previously lived at your residence. Please return this ballot to our office with clear indication the voter no longer lives at the address. You can also fill out a Residence Discrepancy Form and deliver it to our office in person, by mail, or online.

You have the option to vote by mail, drop off your ballot at a Vote Center, or vote in person. Having a mail ballot does not prevent you from voting in person at any time.

 

If you wish to surrender your mail ballot to either the Registrar of Voter’s office or any vote center, the ballot will be rendered inactive and cannot be used to vote.

A secrecy sleeve is a piece of paper that is between your ballot and the envelope. The secrecy sleeve is not required to be sent back with your ballot. Every mail ballot sent to voters includes an instruction page for voting, while doubling as the secrecy sleeve.

You can find our Vote Center app which includes locations and their hours here.

In Nevada, only the Democratic Party and Republican Party are designated as MAJOR Political Parties. The members of these parties choose their candidates to run for office (and face all other candidates) through the conduct of a Primary Election.

The Green Party, Independent American Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party and Reform Party are examples of MINOR Political Parties. While members of these Minor Political Parties are still eligible to vote for nonpartisan offices on their ballots in a Primary Election, they nominate their candidates for office by conducting statewide conventions for their party members only.

By filling out the form REQUEST TO WITHHOLD ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER FROM PUBLIC NRS 293.558 - NRS allows a voter to submit a written request asking for his/her address and/or phone number to be withheld from any list produced by the Registrar of Voters Office. Identification numbers are never disclosed to the public and how a person voted is always private.

You can check your registration status online by logging into Voter Services as well as look up precinct and district information.

In addition to checking your status online, you may request a Voter Notification Card from our office. If you are updating your registration, you will receive a follow-up VNC in the mail. While it is not required that you bring this card with you when you vote, it does expedite the voting process and can clear-up any misunderstandings regarding name spelling and/or the residence where you are registered to vote. It also affirms your status as an active registered voter.

1. Registrar of Voters Office, 1001 E Ninth St., RM A135, Reno NV 89512

2. DMV Offices

3. State Welfare Agencies

4. Most Post Offices

5. Libraries

Any person who has correctly completed and filed a "Voter
Registration Application" with the Registrar of Voters Office and:

1. Is a U.S. Citizen

2. Is at least 17 years old

3. Has continuously resided in Washoe County at least 30 days

4. Claims no other place as his/her legal residence

5. Is not currently serving or under probation for a felony conviction and has completed the process to have his/her voting rights re-established if convicted of a felony in the past

6. Has not been determined by a court of law to be mentally incompetent.

You'll need to provide the following:

1. Full Name

2. Washoe County Residence Address (NOT a P O Box or mailing address)

3. Mailing Address (if different from residence address)

4. Date of Birth

5. Political Party Affiliation

6. Signature

7. Driver's License Number

NOTE: In order to register to vote, under Federal Law, every applicant will need to provide
his/her Drivers License Number. In the event that the applicant does not have a
Drivers License Number to provide, he/she will be required to provide the last
four digits of his/her Social Security Number. If the applicant has neither of
these numbers, a unique number will be assigned to that person - but only after
signing an affidavit stating, under penalty of law, that he/she does not possess
either a driver's license or Social Security Number.

You would re-register if you: 

1. Have changed your place of residence and/or mailing address since the last time you voted (a change of address card may also be used for this purpose),

2. Want to change your political party affiliation,

3. Have changed your name since your previous registration (i.e. married or legal name change),

4. Moved back into Washoe County from another Nevada County or State,

5.  Have been "canceled" for reasons such as moving to another jurisdiction or per your request to be removed from the voting roles.

In these instances, it is probably most efficient to use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which is a combination registration form
and absentee ballot request.

While your FPCA registration form is valid until canceled, the absent ballot request is good only through the next election cycle after submission and must be renewed each election cycle thereafter.  The FPCA is available from the Voting Office at each military base and at all U.S. Embassies or Consulates, or online at www.fvap.gov.

If you register BY MAIL or with an outside Agency - the 4th Tuesday prior to the election*

• Applications must be mailed to the Registrar's Office, 1001 E 9th St, Bldg A, Reno 89512 and be postmarked no later than the 4th Tuesday prior to Election Day.
• At the DMV - Your application must be received by the DMV by the 4th Tuesday prior to Election Day

If you register IN PERSON - the 3rd Tuesday prior to the election*

• At the Registrar of Voters Office - To take advantage of the "extended" close of registration period up through the 3rd Tuesday prior to Election Day, you must appear IN PERSON at 1001 E 9th St, Bldg A, Reno 89512, to register.

If you register ONLINE - The Thursday before Early Voting begins*

• You may register online through NOVA through the Thursday before early voting begins. 

 

Nevada has a "closed primary" system in which only registrants who are members of a specific political party (major parties only) are eligible to vote for the candidate of that party for partisan offices in the Primary Elections. By choosing to be a "Nonpartisan" or affiliated with one of the minor political parties, a registrant is restricted to voting only for candidates for nonpartisan offices and the questions that appear on their Primary Election Ballot.

Remember, in a General Election, all voters are eligible to vote on all candidates, races and questions that appear on their ballot, regardless of their or a candidate's party affiliation.

This is an important topic and a relevant issue for the citizens of Washoe County.  As we prepare for each Election cycle, the question of election security and the integrity of our systems is at the forefront of many peoples minds, and it is important to us that we provide this information to you.  For more information regarding the security of Washoe County elections and election equipment, please click here.