Sample ballots arrive in mailboxes

Sample ballots arrived in Douglas County mailboxes over Constitution Week and the real deal isn’t far behind.

On Sept. 17, the John C. Frémont chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution rang in Constitution Week at the Carson Valley Community and Senior Center in Gardnerville.

According to the Douglas County Clerk’s Office, real ballots are scheduled to be mailed out to active registered voters on Oct. 7.

Early in-person voting is scheduled to be Oct. 22 through Nov. 4 and will take place both in Gardnerville and Minden.

“In partnership with and in response to community feedback, we have expanded our early voting services to include the Historic Courthouse for in-person electronic voting,” Clerk-Treasurer Amy Burgans said. “We believe expanding the services provided at the Historic Courthouse during early voting will help to ensure that regardless of where a voter chooses to participate, the process is timely and efficient.”

Even if they receive a ballot in the mail, residents may still vote in person, though the sample ballot includes a warning that even trying to do both is a felony.

Voters can bring their mailed ballot with them if they choose to vote in person and the poll workers will destroy it.

If they leave the mailed ballot at home, they have to sign an affidavit that they will dispose of it themselves.

Tuesday was National Voter Registration Day.

Douglas is home to 39,513 active registered voters, of which 20,542 are Republicans, 7,853 are Democrats and 8,481 are registered nonpartisan, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.