Trump on mail-ballots, machines, and more
“Mail-in ballots are corrupt. Mail-in ballots, you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots…. The other thing we want changed are the machines. For all of the money they spend, it’s approximately ten times more expensive than paper ballots. And, paper ballots are very sophisticated with the watermarked paper and everything else. We would get secure elections. We’d get much faster results…. I think, maybe even more important, to mail-in voting, we’re going to end mail-in voting. It’s a fraud.”
ELECTION INTEGRITY CALL TO ACTION
Join Us to Shape the Future of Voting in Washoe County!
When: November 18, 2025, 10:00 am, 1001 E. Ninth St., Reno, Commissioner’s Meeting Room
What: Washoe County Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald presents his 2026 Election Plan.
Why: NOW is the time to demand election reform and ensure our voices are heard!
What We Want:
PRECINCT VOTING
Greater access to the polls, lower wait times, less sorting of ‘vote anywhere ballots’ (which process causes fewer mail ballots to be processed), superior for Continuity of Operations Plan.
PAPER VOTER ROSTERS & SIGN-IN BOOKS
Cybersecure, most affordable, minimizes computer training, best for forensic signature verification by a natural person, superior for Continuity of Operations Plan.
HUMAN SIGNATURE VERIFICATIOn
Cybersecure when based on paper and pen, accurate, observable by the public, cost-effective, and enables audit by a natural person.
HAND-MARKED PAPER BALLOTS
In conjunction with minimal use of Ballot Marking Devices: Cybersecure, most affordable, complies with Voters Bill of Rights to ‘uniform, statewide standard of counting/recounting votes,’ superior for Continuity of Operations Plan, and most popular.
HAND COUNTING BALLOTS
Cybersecure, cost-effective, most transparent and trusted, superior for Continuity of Operations Plan.
SEPARATE BALLOTS FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS; SELF-AUDIT
Exercise county/township rights to regulate their business, regulate local and special elections, conduct elections, and designate the places of elections pursuant to Nev. Const. art. 4 § 20.
What We DON’T Want:
Automated Signature Verification
Connected, vulnerable, uncertifiable, not auditable per NRS 293.269937(1) “same standards for determining the validity of a signature as would be used by a natural person,” and not approved for use.
Ballot Marking Devices & Central Scanners
Vulnerable, scanner SD cards not publicly observable, ‘text readable ballot recognition’ not approved for use, costly, ballots handled in non-uniform way to mail ballots.
Check-In Poll Pads with Stylus
Connected, vulnerable, captures/retrieves digital signature images inferior to pen on paper needed for forensic verification, costly.
How YOU Can Make a Difference:
Speak Up! Give public comment at County Commission meetings: Meeting schedule here.
Write In! Mail or email your comments to decision-makers. List of addresses, email, phone.
Spread the Word! Share this message with your community. Download flyer PDF or png.
“A uniform, statewide standard of counting and recounting all votes accurately,”
Voters Bill of Rights
The Paper Ballot Restoration
1. Maximum number of polling locations (county choice);
2. Restore precinct voting only, no vote centers; a registered voter must vote in their precinct (requires Legislative or Executive approval);
3. Pre-printed ballots and/or ballots-on-demand waiting for voters at their local poll (county choice);
4. All paper ballots will be opened and counted at the precinct voting location on election day. (requires Legislative or Executive approval);
5. Revert to absentee ballots to reduce taxpayer waste, pollution, and fraud or potential fraud (requires Legislative or Executive approval).
BEST PRACTICE
Hand Counting Ballots
The public wants and demands hand counting of ballots. HandCountRoadShow provides a good training video here.
Tailored for CVR
Method is honed to produce a Cast Vote Record that’s compliant with state law and accurate.
Secure yet Transparent
Hand Counting uses a numbered system to avoid calling out winners and losers; all ballots scanned; unparalleled transparency.
Cost Effective
Labor costs are actually lower than costs of leasing, maintaining, storing, testing and certifying high-tech election equipment.
Shovel-ready Jobs
Minimal training required to learn how to count ballots; scalable to fit any sized city or county.
Washoe Seeks Automation
Process Updates
Staff has been working to improve the functionality of our new mail ballot sorter and simultaneously improving the signature verification process.
This includes the implementation of Automatic Signature Verification (ASV) into our mail ballot processing procedure.
More information about ASV will be provided in the future as it is finalized and deployed for the 2026 Election cycle.
Future Board of County Commissioners Items
Washoe County will be moving forward with new Ballot Marking Devices (BMD) and ICP2 Vote Center Scanner which will allow voters to print and cast a full-length ballot at any vote center. One-time funds were already set aside for procurement and the ongoing cost will be absorbed within the ROV budget.