Nevada committee hears bill to require weekend ballot drop boxes in Clark and Washoe Counties

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections heard testimony on Assembly Bill 306 on March 29, a measure by Assembly Member Steve Yeager that would require additional ballot drop box availability in Clark and Washoe counties during the three-day period between the end of early voting and Election Day.

Yeager, the bill sponsor, told the committee AB 306 “is a common sense bill that deals with drop boxes for mail ballots.” He said the bill would require a county clerk in a county of 700,000 or more to “establish at least 10 locations” and a county clerk in a county of more than 100,000 but less than 700,000 to “establish at least 5 locations,” each open to the public at least seven hours per day during that three-day interval. Yeager said the measure also adds a requirement that all drop boxes be monitored while available to the public and secured when not in use, and directs the secretary of state to adopt regulations for monitoring and securing boxes.

Yeager framed the bill as a practical step to reduce the election-day processing bottleneck. Citing exhibits filed in the record from the Secretary of State’s office, he said Clark County saw more than 56,000 mail ballots returned to drop boxes on election day in the last cycle and Washoe County about 11,500. “So the hope with this bill is with those 3 days, perhaps that 56,000 becomes something more like 15 or 20,000,” Yeager said, arguing that spreading returns would allow election officials more time to process ballots and produce results sooner.

Supporters included civil-rights and civic-engagement groups, local voting-rights organizations, and the Secretary of State. Kayla Maese of the ACLU of Nevada testified in support, as did Cisco Aguilar, Secretary of State, who spoke for the office in favor of the sponsor’s proposal. Witnesses representing Campaign Legal Center, Make the Road Nevada, All Voting Is Local Action Nevada, Silver State Voices, Native Voters Alliance Nevada, the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, Silver State Equality, Meet Familia Nacion and Battle Born Progress each urged approval, saying the bill would expand secure, convenient options for voters who work irregular hours, have caregiving responsibilities, or otherwise need weekend access.

Opponents — including the Nevada Federation of Republican Women, the Nevada Republican Party’s RNC member, county Republicans and multiple private citizens — argued the bill raises security and cost concerns. Catherine Ingham submitted a letter for the Nevada Federation of Republican Women that said “AB 3 0 6 fails to promote election integrity,” criticizing delegation of security details to the secretary of state. Jim Degraffenreid, Nevada’s Republican National Committee member, said expanding drop-box availability would not increase turnout and said the change “will indeed reduce security.” Several witnesses described the bill as an unfunded mandate that would obligate counties to staff, monitor and transport ballots at additional locations and times.

County election officials and some witnesses spoke in neutral or cautioned tones. Douglas County Clerk-Treasurer Amy Bergens said Douglas County already provides drop-box hours on the Saturday and Monday between early voting and Election Day and noted rural counties have limited resources. Multiple witnesses urged clarity on monitoring and security requirements, and some raised constitutional and local-control concerns regarding the Legislature’s ability to impose population-based mandates on counties.

Committee members asked about current usage of drop boxes and whether existing early-vote sites could satisfy the bill’s requirements; Yeager and witnesses said many early voting locations already host drop boxes and that counties could use existing sites that remain open on weekends. The hearing produced no committee vote; the bill remained under consideration.

The hearing record includes public exhibits filed with NELIS referenced by the sponsor and testimony both for and against the bill. The committee chair opened the public-comment period at the end of the hearing and adjourned without taking formal action on AB 306.