Here’s a number Democrats want you to shrug at: Thirty-eight.
That’s the number of possible non-citizens the FBI says may have voted in Nevada during the 2020 election after reviewing voter rolls against federal data.
“Only 38,” we’re told. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Except…this is Nevada.
Here in the Silver State we’ve seen elections decided by margins so thin they’d make a razor blade look chunky.
Take the 2020 race for Clark County Commission District C.
After all the ballots were counted, the difference between Democrat Ross Miller and Republican Stavros Anthony was just 15 votes out of more than 153,000 cast.
Fifteen.
That’s not a landslide. That’s a rounding error.
Now here’s the kicker.
Election officials also reported 139 ballot discrepancies in that race. Those included things like clerical errors, check-in mismatches, and possible double-voting attempts.
That number was almost ten times the margin of victory.
The county commission even refused to certify the race at first because members said they lacked confidence in the result.
A judge later ordered certification. The recount bumped Miller’s lead slightly, but the race still ended at 76,597 to 76,582.
Fifteen votes.
So forgive Nevada voters if the phrase “only 38 illegal votes” doesn’t exactly calm the nerves.
The Lawsuit and the Investigation
The debate started years ago.
President Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee, and the Nevada GOP filed a lawsuit claiming Nevada failed to properly maintain voter rolls.
They argued thousands of non-citizens may have been registered and some may have voted.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in October 2024. The ruling said the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to bring the case. The actual merits of the case were never adjudicated.
Then the issue resurfaced.
After Trump won re-election in 2024, his new U.S. Attorney, Sigal Chattah, urged the FBI to take another look at possible non-citizen voting in the 2020 election.
The bureau did.
Earlier this month, the FBI closed the probe after finding 38 possible non-citizen votes.
Democrats immediately declared victory. Case closed, they said.
But again…this is Nevada.
Why Voters Care
In a state where major races can be decided by a handful of ballots, every vote matters.
That’s not a partisan argument. That’s simple math.
And even federal prosecutors agree integrity matters, even when the numbers appear small.
“If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised,” wrote former Biden U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams, “it diminishes faith in the process.”
Exactly.
One vote can matter. Nevada voters know that better than most.
The Political Spin
Democrats argue the investigation proves the system works. Thirty-eight questionable votes out of millions cast is tiny.
Fair point.
But Republicans argue the opposite. If even a few illegal votes slip through, especially in close races, that’s still a problem worth fixing.
Also fair.
This isn’t about conspiracy theories or relitigating the past. It’s about confidence. Because if an election can hinge on fifteen votes, then thirty-eight isn’t nothing.
Not even close.
Nevada elections are famously tight. Fifteen votes once decided a major county commission race.
So when politicians wave away concerns about “only 38” questionable ballots, voters have a right to raise an eyebrow.
Because in Nevada politics, a few dozen votes aren’t trivial. It can be the difference between winning and going home. And everybody knows it.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
