Mailer from state elections officer raises concerns

It’s not a ballot, but according to Clerk-Treasurer Amy Burgans, it’s generating a lot of concern among Douglas County voters.

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar sent out mailers to residents across the Silver State that include a voter registration card, and a signature update form designed to be mailed.

With a centralized voter registration system that relies on signatures, the mailer is designed to allow voters to update theirs.

However, voters across Douglas County have been calling and messaging Burgans’ office asking about the card, which puts some fairly personal information out into the world.

“I’ve been inundated with phone calls and messages on these cards,” she said on Monday morning. “With the new voter registration, everyone got a new voter ID card. That’s what these were supposed to be.”

In addition to a signature, the card asks voters to provide one of three numbers identifying them, including either the last four digits of a drivers license number or Social Security Number or their date of birth.

Burgans said she wasn’t the only one of Nevada’s election officials who suggested the cards might not be a great idea.

“A good amount of us suggested that the post cards may not go over very well,” she said.

While the mail is legitimately part of the state’s election process, Burgans said it’s not critical.

“It is not mandatory to turn that in,” she said. “it won’t cancel your voter registration. If you choose to update your signature, drop by the office and turn it in.”
Since the main database for voter signatures comes from the DMV, it’s possible some voters might need to update their signature, which they can do at the Clerk’s Office, located in the historic Douglas County Courthouse at 1616 Eighth St. in Minden.

With a hot presidential election this year, voters are expected to turn out in large numbers.

Voters who receive the mailer may go to vote.nv.gov online if they need to make changes.

Burgans said the sample ballot that should be arriving in residents’ mailboxes over the next week will be hard to miss at 72 pages.

Almost three quarters of the book deals with the seven questions and their arguments pro and con. On Monday, the Douglas County Republican Central Committee is conducting a town hall on the questions 6 p.m. Monday at the Douglas County Community & Senior Center.