Early voting opens across Clark County with short lines at one tent and longer waits at a busy Henderson mall site

What happened

Early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm election began Saturday in Clark County and across Nevada, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Election workers are staffing dozens of early voting sites around the county through Oct. 30, and hours differ from site to site.

The Review-Journal visited two locations on opening day, a voting tent near Blue Diamond Road and South Valley View Boulevard and a site inside a Henderson shopping mall. Voters described quick visits at one and longer but manageable waits at the other. For basics on how the early period works, see our guide to Nevada early voting in Clark County.

Mail ballots and drop boxes

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco "Cisco" Aguilar said Wednesday that most voters should already have their mail ballots, according to the Review-Journal. Those ballots can be sent back by mail or left in drop boxes around town, including at polling locations.

Some voters used the first day to drop off ballots in person. Brandi Braxton told the Review-Journal she delivered three ballots, for herself, her husband and her daughter, to the tent near Blue Diamond Road and South Valley View Boulevard. She said she wanted to avoid possible mail delays or errors.

Scenes from two polling sites

Blue Diamond and Valley View tent

A short line formed at the tent's entrance, the Review-Journal reported. Inside, voters used about 35 cubicle-style booths to print their choices, then carried them to a tabulator at the far end. By 10 a.m., roughly an hour after opening, the line had cleared.

Galleria at Sunset in Henderson

The site at the Galleria at Sunset mall, near West Sunset Road and Interstate 11, opened at 11 a.m. A poll worker called it one of the busiest voting locations in the valley, and some voters reported waits of 30 to 45 minutes, which they said they did not mind.

Christopher Morrow, who said he voted to re-elect Gov. Joe Lombardo, told the Review-Journal that it was very busy the last time he voted on Election Day. "Today there were no issues," he said. Henderson resident Mona Brinkman said she will be out of town on Election Day and did not want to miss her chance. "Everyone's voice needs to be heard," she said.

Why some voters went early

Brian Gardner, a former superintendent in Oregon, said early voting has become a tradition with his girlfriend. "It's more convenient," he told the Review-Journal, adding that the campaign texts stop once he votes. He said he was looking forward to voting for Alex Pereszlenyi, a 32-year-old Democrat running for the Nevada Assembly. Read more about Pereszlenyi's Assembly race.

Arlene Branch, who dropped off her ballot in the afternoon, said she wanted to make sure her vote got in. She did not name her candidates but said she voted along party lines.

Rallies outside the polls

Outside the Blue Diamond site, dozens of demonstrators lined the sidewalk as part of Indivisible Las Vegas' "No Kings Vote Early" event, which held street rallies at eight polling locations across Clark County, the Review-Journal reported. The group is a local chapter of the nonprofit behind the No Kings protests opposing President Donald Trump.

"The best way to protect our democracy is to get out and vote early," participant Marta Poling Schmitt told the Review-Journal. Our earlier coverage of the No Kings early voting rally has more on the effort.

Where to find voting sites

A full list of early voting sites and ballot drop-off locations is posted at clarkcountynv.gov/elections, according to the Review-Journal. The list also appears in the official sample ballot mailed to all voters.

What to watch next

• Early voting continues at dozens of Clark County sites through Oct. 30, with hours varying by location.
• Mail ballots can still be returned by mail or at drop boxes, including at polling places.
• Election Day for the midterm is Nov. 3.