Nevada county’s plans to hand-count early ballots challenged

By GABE STERN
Associated Press/Report for America

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A rural county in Nevada where conspiracy theories about voting machines run deep is planning to start hand-counting its mail-in ballots two weeks before Election Day, but the process risks public release of early voting results. Several voting and civil rights groups said Monday they are objecting to the proposal and will consider legal action if Nye County pushes ahead with its plan. Nevada is one of 10 states that allow local election offices to begin tabulating ballots before Election Day, but the machines that typically do that are programmed not to release results. Hand-count tallies are done publicly for transparency, with observers in the room.