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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 421–Committee on
Legislative Operations and Elections
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to elections; requiring a county or city clerk to
recruit election board officers for a polling place established
within the boundaries of an Indian res ervation or Indian
colony unless the Indian tribe affirmatively declines to have
the county or city clerk perform such a duty; requiring a
county or city clerk to ensure that instruction concerning
mechanical voting systems is provided to such election boa rd
officers under certain conditions; and providing other matters
properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law authorizes an Indian tribe to submit a request to a county or city
clerk to establish a polling place or ballot drop bo x within the boundaries of an
Indian reservation or Indian colony on the day of an election or for early voting.
(NRS 293.2733, 293.3572, 293C.2675, 293C.3572) Existing law further requires a
county or city clerk to schedule certain meetings with each Indi an tribe located in
whole or in part within the county or city, as applicable, to discuss certain details
relating to the next regularly scheduled election cycle and provides that such a
meeting may address, without limitation, recruitment of election boar d officers.
(NRS 293.269905, 293C.2625) Sections 1 and 3 of this bill require a county or city
clerk to, regardless of whether such a meeting addresses responsibilities for the
recruitment of election board officers, recruit such election board officers unless the
Indian tribe affirmatively declines to have the county or city clerk perform such a
duty.
Existing law requires a county or city clerk to, within a reasonable time before
each election, instruct the members of the election board in the use of a mec hanical
voting system and in their duties in connection therewith. (NRS 293B.260) Section
2 of this bill requires each county or city clerk to ensure that su ch instruction is
provided to members of an election board that are appointed to staff a polling place
which will be established within the boundaries of an Indian reservation or Indian
colony by providing at least one training class: (1) within the bounda ries of the
Indian reservation or Indian colony, unless the Indian tribe elects not to have the
training class conducted in such a manner; and (2) in a manner that is accessible to
a member of the election board in person or remotely.
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- 83rd Session (2025)
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 293.269905 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
293.269905 1. Each county clerk shall schedule a meeting
with each Indian tribe located in whole or in part within the county
for, to the extent practicable:
(a) Not later than August 1 of each odd -numbered year to
discuss the details for the next regularly scheduled election cycle.
Such a meeting may address, without limitation:
(1) The establishment and operation of polling places,
temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes within an
Indian reservation or Indian colony and the size requirements for
any such polling places and temporary branch polling places;
(2) The dates and times of the upcoming elections for which
polling places, temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes
may be established;
(3) The deadlines relating to the next regularly scheduled
election cycle for the Indian tribe to submit a request pursuant to
NRS 293.2733 and 293.3572 for the establishment of polling places,
temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes;
(4) Responsibilities for the recruitment of election board
officers; and
(5) Any other information relating to the establishment and
operation of polling places, temporary branch polling places and
ballot drop boxes;
(b) Not later than Septem ber 1 of each odd -numbered year to
confirm any details relating to the establishment and operation of a
polling place, temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes.
Such a meeting may address, without limitation:
(1) Whether the Indian tribe will request or has requested to
establish any polling places, temporary branch polling places or
ballot drop boxes within an Indian reservation or Indian colony and
the size requirements for any such polling places and temporary
branch polling places;
(2) The days and hours of any polling place or temporary
branch polling place established within an Indian reservation or
Indian colony;
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- 83rd Session (2025)
(3) Election board officers for any polling place or temporary
branch polling place established within an Indian reservat ion or
Indian colony; and
(4) The deadlines relating to the next regularly scheduled
election cycle for the Indian tribe to submit a request pursuant to
NRS 293.2733 and 293.3572; and
(c) On an ongoing basis during the year of an election if an
Indian t ribe elects to establish any polling places or temporary
branch polling places within an Indian reservation or Indian colony.
2. If a county clerk:
(a) Is unable to make contact with an Indian tribe to carry out
the requirements of subsection 1, the co unty clerk shall contact the
Secretary of State to facilitate contact; or
(b) Has not contacted an Indian tribe, a representative of the
Indian tribe may contact the Secretary of State to facilitate contact.
3. Regardless of whether the meeting schedu led pursuant to
this section addresses responsibilities for the recruitment of
election board officers, a county clerk shall recruit election board
officers for any polling place established within the boundaries of
an Indian reservation or Indian colony u nless an Indian tribe
affirmatively declines to have the county clerk recruit election
board officers.
4. The tribal liaison designated by the Office of the Secretary
of State pursuant to NRS 233A.260 may assist the county clerk or
an Indian tribe to facilitate any contact required pursuant to this
section.
Sec. 2. NRS 293B.260 is hereby amended to read as follows:
293B.260 1. Within a reasonable time before each election,
the county or city clerk shall instruct the members of the election
board in the use of the mechanical voting system and in their duties
in connection therewith.
2. The county or city clerk shall ensure that the instruction
provided to members of the election board in his or her county is
provided to an election board officer that is appointed to staff a
polling place which will be established within the boundaries of an
Indian reservation or Indian colony pursuant to NRS 293.2733,
293.3572, 293C.2675 or 293C.3572 by providing at least one
training class:
(a) Within the boundaries of the Indian reservation or Indian
colony, unless the Indian tribe elects to not have the training class
conducted in such a manner; and
(b) In a manner that is accessible to a member of the election
board in person or remotely.
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- 83rd Session (2025)
Sec. 3. NRS 293C.2625 is hereby amended to read as follows:
293C.2625 1. Each city clerk shall schedule a meeting with
each Indian tribe located in whole or in part within the city for, to
the extent practicable:
(a) Not later than August 1 of each odd -numbered year to
discuss the details for the next regularly scheduled election cycle.
Such a meeting may address, without limitation:
(1) The establishment and operation of polling places,
temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes within an
Indian reservation or Indian colony and the size requirements for
any such polling places and temporary branch polling places;
(2) The dates and times of the upcoming elections for which
polling places, temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes
may be established;
(3) The deadlines relating to the next regularly scheduled
election cycle for the Indian tribe to submit a request pursuant to
NRS 293C.2675 and 293C.3572 for the establishment of pollin g
places, temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes;
(4) Responsibilities for the recruitment of election board
officers; and
(5) Any other information relating to the establishment and
operation of polling places, temporary branch polling places and
ballot drop boxes;
(b) Not later than September 1 of each odd -numbered year to
confirm any details relating to the establishment and operation of
polling places, temporary branch polling places or ballot drop boxes.
Such a meeting may address, without limitation:
(1) Whether the Indian tribe will request or has requested to
establish any polling places, temporary branch polling places or
ballot drop boxes within an Indian reservation or Indian colony and
the size requirements for any such pol ling places and temporary
branch polling places;
(2) The days and hours of any polling place or temporary
branch polling place established within an Indian reservation or
Indian colony;
(3) Election board officers for any polling place or temporary
branch polling place established within an Indian reservation or
Indian colony; and
(4) The deadlines relating to the next regularly scheduled
election cycle for the Indian tribe to submit a request pursuant to
NRS 293C.2675 and 293C.3572; and
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- 83rd Session (2025)
(c) On an o ngoing basis during the year of an election if an
Indian tribe elects to establish any polling places or temporary
branch polling places within an Indian reservation or Indian colony.
2. If a city clerk:
(a) Is unable to make contact with an Indian tri be to carry out
the requirements of subsection 1, the city clerk shall contact the
Secretary of State to facilitate contact; or
(b) Has not contacted an Indian tribe, a representative of the
Indian tribe may contact the Secretary of State to facilitate contact.
3. Regardless of whether the meeting scheduled pursuant to
this section addresses responsibilities for the recruitment of
election board officers, a city clerk shall recruit election board
officers for any polling place established within the bo undaries of
an Indian reservation or Indian colony unless an Indian tribe
affirmatively declines to have the city clerk recruit election board
officers.
4. The tribal liaison designated by the Office of the Secretary
of State pursuant to NRS 233A.260 may assist a city clerk or an
Indian tribe to facilitate any contact required pursuant to this
section.
Sec. 4. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any
additional expenses of a local government that are related to the
provisions of this act.
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