Services for Voters with Special Needs
Registration Applications
If you cannot sign your name because of a physical disability, you may:
1. Use a signature stamp that meets the standards of the Office of Disability Services, per NRS 426.257; or
2. Register in-person at the Clerk’s Office; or
3. If you cannot appear in-person at the Election Department, the Election Department will send an official to you.
Voting Services
Per NRS 293.127, Douglas County makes every effort to increase ballot accessibility for all voters, including elderly voters and voters with disabilities. NRS 293.127 Liberal construction of title and determination of real will of electors.
This title must be liberally construed to the end that:
- (a) All electors, including, without limitation, electors who are elderly or disabled, have an opportunity to participate in elections and to cast their votes privately.
- (b) An eligible voter with a physical or mental disability is not denied the right to vote solely because of the physical or mental disability; and
- (c) The real will of the electors is not defeated by any informality or by failure substantially to comply with the provisions of this title with respect to the giving of any notice or the conducting of an election or certifying the results thereof.
Nevada is a leader in requiring voting system accessibility. Our voting system has a voter verified paper audit trail, is accessible to voters with disabilities and provides a practical and effective means for voters with disabilities to cast a secret ballot.
State law provides that all polling places must meet strict accessibility standards.
If you are in need of assistance in reading or marking your ballot, you may choose a friend to help you vote or you may request assistance from election officials.
Large Print Sample Ballots: All sample ballots are printed in a 14-point font.
If you find it difficult to vote on Election Day, you may choose to vote at a more convenient time and location by voting early in person or you may choose to vote by mail. All locations will have a separate entrance/line for voters that are in need of assistance. If you do not find the separate entrance upon arrival, please ask an election worker for assistance.
Accessible Voting Systems
In order to provide voters with a practical and effective means to cast an independent and secret ballot, voting systems acquired must be accessible to voters with physical disabilities. The disabilities that the systems must accommodate are: no vision, low vision, no hearing, low hearing, limited manual dexterity, limited reach, limited strength, no mobility, low mobility, or any combination of the foregoing (except the combination of no hearing and no vision).
Accessible voting systems in Nevada make use of Direct Recording Electronic devices ( “DRE’s”). DRE’s are computerized voting units that allow you to vote directly on the screen. Voters with disabilities may use headphones or other assistive devices to vote independently and secretly.
In Douglas County, all voting machines are prepared for use by voters with disabilities. The height of the voting machine is adjustable for wheelchairs, enabling voting without assistance in privacy. All voting machines have large print/zoom capabilities and each polling location has screen magnifiers. Audio only attachments are also available.
If you cannot sign your name in the precinct register because of a physical disability, you may still vote. Election officials will identify you by asking you questions about personal data from your voter registration records.
Emergency Voting: You may apply for an emergency ballot beginning the sixth day before an election through 5:00 p.m. on election day if suddenly you are hospitalized, become seriously ill or are called away from home. You must meet specific other requirements of NRS 293.316.
All Polling Places in Nevada Must be Accessible
The standards for what constitutes an accessible polling place include the following:
- The voting area must be:(1) on the ground floor, which can be entered from the street; or (2) accessible by an elevator with doors providing an opening of at least 36 inches.
- Doors, entrances, and exits used to enter or to leave the polling place must have a minimum width of 32 inches.
- Any stairs necessary to enter or leave the polling place must have handrails on each side of the stairs and a non-slip ramp.
- The polling place may not have any barriers such as gravel, automatically closing gates, closed doors without lever-type handles, or any other barrier that impedes the path of the physically disabled to the voting station.
Voters May Receive Assistance at the Polls
- NRS 293.296 allows for assistance to be provided by a consenting person of the your own choosing if you:
- Cannot read or write English; and/or
- Have a physical disability that prevents you from reading or marking the ballot.
- Tell the election official that you need help voting and if you have brought someone with you to help. You do not have to provide proof of your disability.
- You may be assisted by:
- Any person of your choice; or
- An election worker
- You may NOT be assisted by:
- Your employer or an agent of your employer; or
- An officer or agent of your labor organization.
- It is illegal for a person assisting you to:
- Try to influence your vote;
- Mark your ballot in a way other than the way you have asked; or
- Tell anyone how you voted.
Early Voting by Personal Appearance
NRS 293.356 establishes the criteria for Early Voting in person to allow for more convenience and flexibility. Early voting sites and dates are provided on the main Election web page prior to each elections.
Secretary of State Elections Division link; Voters with Disabilities