Paper ballots, late polls delay swing state Nevada’s election result. Could it overturn Donald Trump’s victory?

US Election Results 2024: As the 2024 US election unfolds, Nevada, one of the most critical swing states, has once again found itself at the centre of election result delays. Election officials are attributing the slower-than-expected count in Nevada to several factors, with a significant reason being the large number of people who registered to vote on Election Day itself. 

This, combined with the use of paper ballots in some areas, has led to extended processing times and frustrated voters in Nevada.

Long Wait Times, Paper Ballots in Nevada

In Nye County, voters faced waits of up to 3 hours and 15 minutes at polling stations, contributing to a delay in final vote tallies. The use of paper ballots in the county has long been cited as a contributing factor to slower processing.

While some regions have moved to digital systems, Nye County continues to rely on traditional paper ballots, which inevitably lengthen the time it takes to count votes.

Same-Day Voter Registration in Nevada Stalls Progress

The most significant challenge, according to local officials, was the surge in same-day voter registrations. Nye County Clerk, Sam Pitre, pointed out that "The biggest issue was the same day registration," noting that the influx of registrations on Election Day had a substantial impact on processing times.

In Nevada, voters are allowed to register on the same day as the election, which, while beneficial in promoting voter participation, can result in delays as election officials must verify and process each registration before proceeding with vote counts.

Extended Voting Hours Delayed Results in Nevada

Polls in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, were kept open beyond the usual closing time of 7 pm to accommodate voters still in line. "Nevada law allows anyone in line by 7 pm the right to vote," said the Secretary of State's office. While this provision ensures that no eligible voter is turned away, it also delayed the start of the vote count in some districts.

By the time polls closed, Clark and Washoe counties experienced certification issues, particularly with ballots from younger voters.

The Secretary of State, Cisco Aguilar, explained that many of these ballots had signature mismatches. “Young people do not have signatures today. That is the problem we have. When they register to vote through the automated system, they sign a digital pad that becomes their signature on their driver’s license,” Aguilar said, noting that over 700 ballots were affected.

Nevada: A Crucial Battleground State

Nevada, though awarding just six electoral votes, remains one of the most closely watched states due to its swing-state status.

In the 2020 election, Nevada played a pivotal role in Joe Biden’s narrow victory, with the final margin of victory being less than 32,000 votes.

Despite these delays, the final count in Nevada may take several days to complete. During the 2020 election, it took three days after Election Day for Nevada to announce its official results, with validation not occurring until November 24.

Before that, the Republican Party complained of “fraud” and reported that at least 3,000 ballots were found to be irregular, reason enough to push for the annulment of the elections in Nevada.

Voter Backlog in Nevada

As in past elections, Nevada has experienced a backlog in counting votes due to high voter turnout and administrative hurdles. Election officials have confirmed that the final result may not be known for several days.

When will 47th US President be sworn in?

Republican nominee Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of United States. Trump secured 295 electoral votes, and bested Kamala Harris' 226. Trump will be sworn in as President on January 21, 2025. Therefore even if Harris manages to win all 6 electoral votes from Nevada, she will remain several votes short of achieving absolute majority to become the next President. To become the president of US, one needs to secure 270 electoral votes.