
In a move sparking significant concern among voters, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld a policy allowing mail-in ballots without postmarks to be accepted up to three days after Election Day. Critics argue that this ruling jeopardizes not only Nevada’s election integrity but also the country’s faith in timely election results, a once-standard expectation that has been marred since 2020.
Republicans, backed by President Donald Trump, challenged the policy, contending that ballots should have clear postmarks to confirm they were mailed by Election Day. Without postmarks, critics say, the election process is open to fraud, weakening the value of timely, rule-following ballots. The court dismissed these concerns, asserting that voters should not be penalized for postal service errors that might prevent postmarking.
For voters who expect quick and accurate results, this decision raises troubling questions. “Why can’t the votes just be counted and reported on Election Night like they used to be?” asked one Nevada resident. “Why has the process become so complex?”
Nevada Supreme Court Handed Down a Devastating Ruling on Mail-In Ballots and Election Integrity https://t.co/y3d71HJFVR
— Not Enough Dogs (@DogsEnough) October 29, 2024
Justice Douglas Herndon and Justice Kristina Pickering both voiced some hesitation about unpostmarked ballots. Despite these concerns, they ultimately supported the decision, stating that such ballots are of “nearly zero consequence” to election outcomes. But for many voters, this response is not reassuring, as it underscores the sense of leniency that some believe has made elections increasingly unreliable.
Echoing an earlier ruling from District Judge James Russell, the court dismissed arguments that unpostmarked ballots could allow fraudulent votes to sneak into the count, calling such concerns “speculative.” However, Republicans insist that the allowance for unpostmarked ballots weakens the entire system, inviting unwanted doubts about election integrity.
STOP THE MADNESS NOW ! 😡Nevada is still accepting mail-in-ballots .
The election was 3 days ago. pic.twitter.com/pLBfKsbGBv
— VeBee🇺🇸✝️ (@VeBo1991) November 11, 2022
As other states tighten election rules to ensure greater transparency, Nevada’s decision stands in stark contrast, leaving Americans with more questions about the security of their own election systems. For those longing for the certainty of Election Night results, the path forward remains unclear.
What’s taking Nevada so long? “This is our first time in our state’s history where we have actually issued mail in ballots to all active registered voters. We have up to a week to receive all of those ballots that were postmarked on Election Day,” @MrsT106 tells Newsmax TV. pic.twitter.com/NprwwxNKG1
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 5, 2020