Washoe County cleans up voter rolls, plans new changes ahead of 2026 election

By Dan Burdish  

Nevada News and Views

While Nevada conservatives continue to push for more secure and transparent elections, there’s at least some good news coming out of Washoe County.

According to a recent update from the Registrar of Voters office, local officials have been quietly making progress on voter list maintenance, poll worker training, and new election technology — all key concerns for those who want fair and accurate elections.

One of the biggest wins? Voter roll cleanup.

Washoe County inactivated about 8,600 voters in February after they failed to respond to confirmation cards or take any action showing they were still eligible to vote.

Then, in April, they removed 25,000 inactive voters who had been sitting dormant for two years — exactly what state law requires under NRS 293.530.

That’s over 33,000 outdated voter registrations removed in just a few months. And the cleanup isn’t over yet.

This summer, another 35,000 confirmation cards will go out to voters flagged for inactivity during the 2024 cycle.

This kind of list maintenance is something many conservatives across Nevada have been calling for.

Groups like the Pigpen Project, based in Clark County, have been ringing alarm bells for years about the dangers of bloated voter rolls — where ballots can be mailed to people who’ve moved, died, or haven’t voted in years.

At the same time, election officials still urge people to include their email or phone number in the system — so they can be contacted quickly if there’s a problem with their mail-in ballot, such as a mismatched signature.

Looking ahead, Washoe County is preparing to upgrade its vote centers for the next big election cycle.

All 79 contracts from 2024 have expired, and new sites are being reviewed with an eye on ADA accessibility and community feedback.

Registrar Jamie McDonald’s office is also ramping up poll worker recruitment.

Over 700 poll workers will be needed for the 2026 primary, and officials admit that past training efforts need improvement. They’re working on it.

Meanwhile, new equipment is coming.

Later this year, Washoe plans to roll out Ballot Marking Devices (BMDs) and new scanners that let voters print and cast a full ballot at any location. These upgrades are funded and will not raise costs for taxpayers.

The county is also testing Automatic Signature Verification (ASV) for mail ballots and exploring a new automated phone system to help voters get answers faster without always needing to wait for a live operator.

Some conservatives remain skeptical of technology like ASV, pointing out that machines shouldn’t be trusted to decide whether a signature is valid.

However, the Registrar says live staff will still review ballots flagged by the system.

Mock elections are also being held this year in preparation for a new Voter Registration Management System (VREMS). That includes five trial runs to make sure the system works before going live statewide.

The Registrar’s Office has been busy in the community too — attending job fairs, tribal events, and even naturalization ceremonies. Last month, 13 new citizens registered to vote during a Flag Day event hosted at the Elk’s Lodge.

The office also earned the 2025 Community Partner of the Year award from the University of Nevada, Reno’s Center for Student Engagement.

All in all, this may not be the full overhaul that election integrity watchdogs want, but it’s a step in the right direction — especially when you consider how resistant Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar has been to even basic voter roll cleanup.

With another big election cycle coming in 2026, conservatives across Nevada should stay alert, stay engaged, and continue demanding transparency and accountability — especially from state officials like Aguilar, who sets the tone for all 17 counties.

For now, Washoe seems to be cleaning up its act. Let’s hope the rest of Nevada follows.

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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.