Voters with Disabilities
Voting Accommodations
Polling Places: Voters with disabilities are accommodated inside of polling places on Election Day and during early voting. All Vote Centers in Washoe County are accessible to voters with disabilities.
Inside Vote Centers: If you are a voter with disabilities, you may request to have priority in voting. Election officials will take you to the front of the line for processing. You may then have first preference in voting on the priority voting machine designated for voters with disabilities.
Signing the Register: If you cannot sign your name in the register because of a physical disability, you may still vote. Election officials will identify you by asking you questions about personal data from your voter registration record.
Inside the Voting Machine Booth: You have several options for casting your ballot inside the voting booth:
- A large magnifying sheet is available at each Vote Center to aid in reading the ballot. Just ask a election worker!
- Audio voting is available at all Early Voting sites and all Election Day Vote Centers to permit voting in complete privacy without assistance from another person.
- Another individual may assist you in casting your ballot, as long as you and your assistant meet the requirements described below.
Assistance by Another Person: NRS 293.296 allows another person to assist you in voting inside the booth if you:
- Have a physical disability and/or
- Have an inability to read or write English
However, you may NOT be assisted by:
- Your employer or employer's agent or
- An officer or agent of your labor organization
Wheelchair & Motorized Scooter Voters: The screen of the touch screen voting unit can be adjusted to permit a voter who is sitting to view his/her ballot and interact with the unit while casting a ballot.
Mail-In Ballots: Reasonable accommodations are made for the use of mail-in ballots by voters with disabilities as well as elderly if you are unable to mark and/or sign your name:
Pursuant to NRS 293.3165(3) if at the direction of a registered voter with a physical disability or who is at least 65 years of age, a person who:
(a) Marks and signs a mail-in ballot issued to the registered voter pursuant to the provisions of this section on behalf of the registered voter, the person must:
1) Indicate next to his or her signature that the ballot has been marked and signed on behalf of the registered voter; and
2) Submit a written statement with the mail-in ballot that includes the name, address and signature of the person.
(b) Assists the registered voter to mark and sign an mail-in ballot issued to the registered voter pursuant to the provision of this section, the person or registered voter must submit a written statement with the mail-in ballot that includes the name, address and signature of the person.
For additional details see NRS 293.3165 or call the Registrar of Voters office, at (775) 328-3670.
Emergency Voting: You may apply for an emergency ballot beginning the sixth day before an election through 5:00 p.m. on Election Day if you are hospitalized, become seriously ill or are called away from home unexpectedly. See NRS 293.316 for further information.
Additional Information
You may call the Registrar of Voters Office at (775) 328-3670 for more information on accommodation of voters with disabilities or elderly voters. You may also contact the Registrar of Voters Office by mail (Registrar of Voters, P O Box 11130, Reno NV 89520 or e-mail electionsdepartment@washoecounty.gov.
You can also view the Nevada Secretary of State's website https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/voters/voters-with-disabilities for further information.
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