Mail ballots for the 2026 general election are beginning to arrive in mailboxes across Washoe County today, Oct. 9. Most voters should expect to receive their mail ballot by Saturday, Oct. 10, or Tuesday, Oct. 13, as the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) does not conduct regular mail delivery on Sundays and will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Columbus Day.
Sample ballots were also mailed earlier this week. The physical sample ballot voters receive include all contests throughout Washoe County, including races that may not appear on an individual voter’s ballot. Voters can view a sample ballot specific to their address at washoecounty.gov/sampleballot.
The Washoe County Registrar of Voters encourages voters to be patient and allow additional time for delivery if they have not yet received either mailing. Voters can track the status of their mail ballot at washoecounty.gov/trackmyballot or sign up for USPS Informed Delivery to receive notifications about incoming mail. Voters who have not received their mail ballot by Friday, Oct. 16, may contact the Registrar of Voters at 775-328-3670 to request a replacement. The last day to request a replacement mail ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 20.
With mail ballots soon to be in the hands of many, Registrar McDonald is urging voters to make a plan and vote early through the “Don’t Wait, Washoe“ campaign. Returning a mail ballot early helps avoid last-minute concerns about postal delivery and postmarks, provides additional time to resolve any signature issues and allows election staff to process ballots sooner. Voters choosing to return their ballot by mail are strongly encouraged to do so several days before Election Day, as recent USPS operation changes mean that a postmark may not reflect the same day a ballot is placed in the mail. Alternatively, voters can return their completed mail ballot directly to an official ballot drop box at any Washoe County vote center during early voting or on Election Day.
“Every day is Election Day,” Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald said. “Starting the day you receive your mail ballot, to 14 days of early voting and Election Day itself, there are plenty of opportunities to make sure your vote is cast. Why wait?”
Returning mail ballots early also contributes to more complete results on election night. The more mail ballots that can be processed before Election Day, the more votes can be included in the initial election results, helping Washoe County finish counting ballots faster.
Ballot processing operations begin today, Oct. 9, at Washoe County’s Central Counting Place and will continue through the canvass of the vote on Friday, Nov. 13, including weekends and holidays as needed. Members of the public are welcome to observe operations in person at 1001 E. Ninth St., Building A, Room 135, in Reno, beginning at 8 a.m. each day operations are scheduled, except Election Day, when observation begins at 6 a.m. Closing times vary depending on operational needs. For those unable to attend in person, a 24/7 livestream of Central Counting Place operations is also available throughout the election. Additional information about public observation, including schedules and requirements, is available at washoecounty.gov/voters/observation.
In-person early voting begins next Saturday, Oct. 17, and continues through Friday, Oct. 30. Washoe County will operate 18 vote centers during early voting, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 41 vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters may visit any vote center in Washoe County, regardless of where they reside. A complete list of locations and an interactive map are available at washoecounty.gov/votecenters. Vote center locations are also included in the sample ballots mailed earlier this week.
Although the deadline to register to vote using a paper application was Oct. 6, eligible residents can still register to vote, check their registration status or update their registration information online at vote.nv.gov. Same-day voter registration is also available in person at any vote center throughout early voting and on Election Day.
The Registrar of Voters office will offer extended public service hours throughout the election, including weekends, to assist voters with registration, replacement mail ballots and other election-related questions. Extended hours are as follows:
- Oct. 17-30: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
- Oct. 31-Nov. 1: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
- Nov. 3 (Election Day): 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with front desk assistance available until 10 p.m.
- Nov. 7-8: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
On all other regular business days, the office will maintain normal operating hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about voting options or assistance with the upcoming election, contact the Registrar of Voters at 775-328-3670 or visit washoecounty.gov/voters.
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