Have you ever stayed up late on election night waiting for results — only to find out you’d have to wait days more? If that drives you crazy, you’re not alone.
Republican secretary of state candidate Shirley Folkins-Roberts is out with her first campaign ad. And she’s going straight at one of Nevada’s most controversial election rules — the state’s practice of accepting mail ballots days after Election Day.
What the Ad Says
The ad opens with the frustration most Nevada conservatives know well.
News anchors announce:
“Still waiting on official results from Nevada, they could still be getting ballots next week,” the ad begins.
Folkins-Roberts says:
“The state of Nevada allows ballots to be counted for almost a week after election day. Winners and losers can change for a week. It’s embarrassing, and it makes you wonder about trusting the process.”
Then comes her closing pitch:
“It’s time to stop accepting ballots after election day and bring trust back to our elections. I’m Shirley Folkins-Roberts, and I’m running to make election day, election day, the way it should be.”
Short, direct, and aimed right at a real frustration.
What Nevada Law Actually Allows
Under Nevada state law, mail-in ballots postmarked on or before Election Day can be received and counted up to four days after the election, by 5 p.m. On top of that, voters whose signatures don’t match can “cure” their ballots, with the county certification not occurring until up to ten days after Election Day.
So while “almost a week” is a bit of a stretch for the standard mail ballot deadline, when you factor in the full cure window, results can indeed trickle in well past Election Night. That uncertainty is exactly what Folkins-Roberts is running against.
Trump Just Weighed In — Big
The timing of this ad couldn’t be more fitting. On March 31st, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on elections. The order instructs the Department of Homeland Security to compile a list of verified U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state, and directs the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to voters on a pre-approved list.
The order also holds that states violating it would forfeit their federal funding.
“We want to have honest voting in our country, because if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t have, really, a nation,” Trump said while signing the order
Nevada Democrats went ballistic. AG Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar quickly announced Nevada was joining a coalition of 23 states suing the federal government to block the order.
Aguilar called the order “illegal” and insisted the Constitution makes clear that states run elections. He also claimed there is no evidence of widespread fraud.
Lombardo Threads the Needle
Governor Lombardo — who has endorsed Folkins-Roberts — took a more measured position.
His office said:
“The Governor believes elections should be run by the states but supports common sense reforms to Nevada law that strengthen the integrity of our elections.
He led the effort to put voter ID on the ballot and has called for ending universal mail ballots, believing only registered, qualified military, or voters who request a mail ballot, should get mail ballots.”
That’s the conservative sweet spot. Election integrity — yes. Federal overreach — not the preferred path. Fix it at the state level. Which is exactly what Folkins-Roberts is proposing to do.
Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has endorsed Folkins-Roberts, said:
“At a time when American trust in elections is at an all-time low, Shirley is committed to commonsense election reforms like Voter ID and ensuring ballots are received by Election Day — the kind of reforms that have broad bipartisan support and improve voter confidence.”
That’s not a partisan talking point. That’s a common-sense argument. If you know your ballot won’t count unless it arrives by a certain day, you make plans to get it in on time.
Who Is Shirley Folkins-Roberts?
Folkins-Roberts is a Reno-based businesswoman, attorney, and nonprofit executive running for office for the first time. She is the co-founder of a Reno nonprofit that helps children facing cancer, and has spent years working in commercial real estate and community development.
She has outraised all other Republican primary opponents, reporting $100,791 raised, compared to $15,000 for Sharron Angle and zero dollars reported by Jim Marchant.
What’s Next
The Republican primary for secretary of state is June 9, 2026. Folkins-Roberts faces Angle, Marchant, and Socorro Keenan before potentially squaring off against Aguilar in November.
This ad is her opening salvo — and it signals that election integrity, specifically the ballot deadline issue, will be central to her campaign.
Election Day should mean something. Folkins-Roberts is betting Nevada voters agree.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
