Legislative panel OKs earlier processing of absentee ballots

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2000 | 11:58 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A regulation to permit the earlier processing of absentee ballots in the election has been approved by a legislative committee, even though it may conflict with the law.

Assemblyman Greg Brower, chairman of the legislative Committee to Review Regulations, said the regulation proposed by Secretary of State Dean Heller "presents a dilemma. It arguably violates state law."

But the result of the regulation will mean that absentee ballots will be ready to count when the polls close.

Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, sought assurances there would be no "hanky panky" in the handling of the absentee ballots with the new regulation. Clark County Voter Registrar Larry Lomax replied, "Nobody will manipulate anything."

The regulation permits the registrar and the county clerks to begin processing absentee ballots four days before the election instead of one day. The absentee ballots will be withdrawn from the ballot boxes and sorted according to precinct.

Officials will verify that the number of ballots in the box corresponds with the number of people who signed up to vote. And mangled ballots will be duplicated. The ballots will then be placed in a sealed container and opened for counting after the polls close.

Lomax said the whole process will be monitored. For instance, there will be a Democrat and Republican present when ballots are duplicated to ensure there's an accurate transfer of the information.

The ballots are not tabulated until Election Day. Officials said this would allow the count to be completed on the night of the election instead of waiting two or three days for all of the absentee ballots to be tabulated.

Legislative Counsel Brenda Erdos said the regulation, though it conflicts with state law, would not affect anyone's constitutional right.

The regulation also permits members of the public to watch the handling of absentee ballots, as long as they do not interfere with the processing.