Nevada ranks dead last in election security – study says Nevada elections weaker than Kenya’s

By Dan Burdish  

Nevada News and Views

When folks talk about election security, most people assume the United States sets the standard. After all, we’ve been holding elections for nearly 250 years.

But a new global study says America isn’t leading the way – we’re falling behind. And Nevada, sadly, is sitting at the very bottom of the list.

America’s Elections Aren’t Secure

The Meyers Report, a 61-page review of election rules across all 50 states and 36 foreign countries, found that the U.S. as a whole scored lower than every region in the world, from Africa to Latin America.

While nations like Kenya and Mexico earned top marks for secure systems, the U.S. average came in at just 59.98 out of 100.

Nevada was singled out as the worst-performing state in the country, scoring only 30 points. That puts us below not only other U.S. states but also behind countries many Americans assume struggle with democracy.

Nevada’s “F” Grade Explained

So why did Nevada score so poorly? The report points to several big problems:

—Mail-in ballots: Nevada is one of only eight states (along with California, Colorado, and a handful of others) that automatically mails ballots to every registered voter. Most countries don’t allow this at all. In fact, 92 percent of other nations surveyed ban mail-in ballots except for strict cases like military members overseas.

—Ballot harvesting: The study found that no other country in the world allows ballot harvesting, yet more than half of U.S. states (including Nevada) permit it in some form. That practice breaks the chain of custody and opens the door to intimidation and fraud.

—Weak voter ID rules: Almost every country surveyed – 92 percent – requires voters to show photo ID at the polls. In the U.S., less than half the states do. Nevada is among the states with loose rules, relying heavily on the “honor system”.

—Late ballots: Another weak spot is ballot deadlines. While 97 percent of other countries reject ballots that arrive after Election Day, Nevada allows them to be counted days later if they were postmarked by Election Day. That delays results and increases the risk of tampering.

Nevada vs. the Rest of the World

The study didn’t just call out Nevada; it showed just how wide the gap is between America and the rest of the world.

Countries across Africa, Latin America, and Europe all scored higher on average than the United States. Kenya and Mexico scored 95, while even countries like Poland and South Africa posted numbers above 80.

Election Rules Aren’t Just “Paperwork”

Some critics shrug off reports like this, saying fraud is rare and Americans should just “trust the process.” But the report’s authors argue that trust is exactly what’s missing.

They note that the U.S. is the only country that uses an honor system in parts of its voting process – something unheard of in the rest of the world.

In Nevada, voters have watched close races drag out for weeks because of late-arriving ballots. Every time that happens, public confidence takes another hit.

As the report warns, when rules are this loose, it doesn’t take widespread fraud to sway a tight election – it only takes a few weak spots.

How We Restore Trust in Nevada’s Voting System

The Meyers Report recommends tightening rules nationwide, including requiring photo ID, banning ballot harvesting, and ending automatic mail ballot distribution. Those changes would bring U.S. practices in line with international best standards.

For Nevada, the message is even clearer: if we want voters to trust our elections again, we need to start fixing the weakest parts of the system.

That means going back to in-person voting with secure ID, limiting absentee ballots to those who truly need them, and counting ballots on Election Day – not days or weeks after.

Nevada prides itself on being a leader in so many industries – from gaming to renewable energy – but when it comes to running elections, we’re trailing behind the rest of the world.

If we don’t act soon, our state’s “last place” ranking won’t just be a statistic; it will be a warning sign that we’ve lost control of the most basic part of democracy: making sure every legal vote counts, and only legal votes count.

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Dan Burdish is the Chief Operations Officer for Citizen Outreach Foundation and Data Analyst for the Pigpen Project to clean up Nevada's voter rolls.