Nevada election officials are now encouraging voters to use drop boxes instead of the mail to save money.
Read that again.
After years of promoting a system that automatically mails ballots to every active voter whether they asked for one or not, officials are suddenly looking for ways to cut the cost of handling all that mail.
That’s not reform. That’s cleanup.
And it’s a textbook example of unintended consequences Nevada Democrats ignored when it pushed this law through.
When lawmakers decided ballots should automatically go to every active registered voter, supporters sold it as convenience. Just mail everyone a ballot and participation will rise.
Sounds simple. But government “simple” often turns into expensive, messy, and inefficient.
Now counties must print millions of ballots, stuff envelopes, pay postage, process returns, review signatures, cure mistakes, track deliveries, secure drop boxes, and manage large back-end operations.
That costs real money. And now we’re hearing the state would rather people use drop boxes because mailing ballots back is expensive.
So taxpayers are paying for a mail-based election system that officials now prefer people not use through the mail. You can’t make this up.
It gets worse.
Nevada officials previously warned voters that if they planned to use the mail, they should send ballots at least one week before Election Day.
In other words, the state built a voting model around the mail while also warning voters not to trust the timing of the mail close to Election Day.
That should have been a flashing red light. Instead of stepping back, lawmakers doubled down.
This is what happens when policy is driven by politics instead of common sense.
Mail voting should absolutely be available. Nevada had absentee voting long before this law.
Seniors, military members, disabled voters, travelers, and anyone who prefers voting from home should be able to request a ballot.
That’s not the issue. The issue is forcing taxpayers to fund mass ballot mailings to people who never asked for one.
Some ballots go to voters who prefer in-person voting. Some go to outdated addresses. Some sit unopened with junk mail. Some are tossed out. Some create confusion for families after a move or death.
Even if every ballot is handled legally, the waste alone should bother taxpayers.
And then comes trust.
When voters hear that ballots are being mailed everywhere, while officials also urge people to avoid using the mail when possible, confidence takes another hit.
Elections need trust. This system chips away at it.
Counties like Clark County already carry massive administrative burdens. Why add unnecessary layers that cost more and solve little?
Supporters will say the system increases access.
Fine. Keep access. Keep early voting. Keep Election Day voting. Keep no-excuse absentee ballots. Keep drop boxes with proper security.
But repeal the automatic mailing requirement.
If a voter wants a ballot by mail, request one. It’s a small step. We request hunting licenses, passports, permits, and library cards. Asking for a ballot is hardly oppression.
What Nevada has now is a self-created problem.
Lawmakers passed a costly one-size-fits-all law. Election officials promoted it. Now those same officials are looking for cheaper ways around the consequences.
That’s not smart government. It’s government creating a mess, then asking taxpayers to admire the mop.
Nevada can do better. Mail ballots should be available for those who want them, not automatically dumped into the system for everyone else.
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