During the midterm elections last November, mail-in ballots were a hot topic for debate, especially since Nevada was among the last states to have election results finalized.
But, during his state of the state speech last night, Governor Joe Lombardo proposed his plans to change that.
Governor Lombardo presented his election integrity reform package to the legislature - a mixed audience. His main push... To scale back on Nevada's universal mail-in voting process.
While Lombardo says all Nevadans should reserve the right to get mail-in ballots, he is pushing for a time limit.
"Most notably all mail-in ballots should be received by the time polls close on election day," said Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R).
Governor Lombardo is calling the current process inefficient and a drag on tax dollars.
"Sending ballots to more than 1.9 million registered voters is inefficient and unnecessary. Not to mention it's estimated to cost nearly $7 million in this budget and will increase to $11 million in the future budget. Thirdly, it's important to verify the identity of voters," explained Lombardo.
Assembly Leader Steve Yeager says the Governor's call to scale back on mail in voting is a non starter.
Yeager says 50 percent of Nevadans cast their ballot by mail in - that accounts for about 500-thousand voters: democrats, republicans, and non-partisans alike.
"So, that was a lot of red meat with a lot of the same things we always hear. Fraud, fraud, fraud with no evidence. I felt like we were back in the twilight zone on this issue, because all of the fraud that's ever been investigated in this state when it comes to elections has been found to not have any basis in truth, or it's been perpetrated by republicans who have been prosecuted," explained Assembly Majority Leader Representative Steve Yeager.
Governor Lombardo says moving up the deadline for counties receiving ballots by poll close on election day would put the state in line with "national norms."
This as democrats say they have done everything in their power to make it as easy as possible for everyone to access voting - and they are not backtracking.
