Clark County voters can feel confident that their ballots are handled with care and openness, according to Registrar of Voters Lorena Portillo. In a live interview with News 3, Portillo fielded viewer questions about mail‑in voting, ballot processing, and the overall cost of running elections in the county.
Mail‑in voting and drop‑off sites
One caller expressed a preference for voting in person, saying, “When I vote, I take it into the building and hand it to the people and sign it in front of them. I do not drop it in the outboxes.” Portillo responded that the county provides several secure options, including mailed ballots and designated drop‑off locations. “The voter should be very confident in going in and using this equipment. The voter should be confident in sending in their mail ballot or dropping it off at sites. We take that very seriously and we can assure you that everything is going well,” she said.
Signature verification and curing
When a mail ballot arrives at the election center, it undergoes a multi‑step process. First, ballots are received and sorted. Then, staff verify the signature on the envelope against the voter’s recorded signature. If the signature does not match, the ballot enters a “signature‑curing” stage, where the voter is contacted to correct the discrepancy. Should the signature remain unmatched, the ballot is not advanced for tabulation.
Cost of running the election
Addressing concerns about spending, a viewer asked, “I think we spend too much on our elections.” Portillo clarified that the total cost is about $26 million, covering both mail‑ballot and in‑person voting. “In general terms, it costs about $26 million, not only to have a full project of mail ballot voting, but also in‑person voting. So the voters have the full experience, the full option of voting either by mail or in‑person,” she explained.
Transparency and public observation
Portillo highlighted the county’s commitment to openness. An observation area has been built for members of the public who wish to watch the ballot‑processing operation firsthand. “We would love for the public to come visit us. There is a great observation area that has been built out. There has been a tremendous investment in transparency for Clark County,” she said. While cameras are prohibited inside processing rooms to protect poll‑worker privacy and ballot secrecy, the county provides chairs for observers—typically between five and twenty seats per room.
Vigilance in tabulation
Another viewer urged election officials to be “as vigilant as possible on tabulating the votes.” Portillo assured that the multi‑step verification and curing procedures are designed to catch any irregularities before results are finalized. The county’s transparent processes, she said, are intended to maintain public trust and ensure every legal vote is counted accurately.
Overall, the registrar’s remarks underscore Clark County’s dedication to secure, transparent elections that respect both the convenience of mail‑in voting and the integrity of in‑person voting. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the observation area and to reach out with any questions about the voting process.
Original reporting: News 3 KSNV Las Vegas (local) — read the source article.
