The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that allows mail ballots received up to three days after Election Day to be counted, even if they do not have a postmark. The decision came after the Republican National Committee and other groups tried to stop this practice, arguing that ballots without postmarks should not be included. However, the court determined that rejecting these ballots would go against the public’s right to vote and found no evidence of voter fraud in such cases.
Nevada law already permitted the counting of ballots without postmarks if the postmark date could not be determined, and the court pointed to testimony from a former lawmaker to support this interpretation. The ruling ensures that ballots with missing or illegible postmarks can still be included in the final count.
The decision comes after concerns were raised about inconsistencies in the postal service’s postmarking of ballots, with the USPS inspector general’s office finding that nearly half of processing facilities were not following proper procedures. Despite this, the office indicated that steps were being taken to address the issue.
Justice Kristina Pickering emphasized the importance of clarity and consistency in election rules, especially with ballots already sent to voters and early voting underway. Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar welcomed the ruling, stating that it would allow the election to continue without interruption. Voters were encouraged to use official county ballot drop boxes to ensure their ballots are received on time.
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