Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (r.) announced on Monday evening that he would activate the National Guard on Election Day as a precautionary measure.
Lombardo, the former sheriff of Clark County, Nevada’s most populous county, said the move was simply intended to prepare for potential problems.
“As a first responder, I know firsthand how important it is to be prepared, and this decision reflects my commitment to safety and preparation on Election Day,” he said in a news release.
The announcement notes the need to “prepare for a safe and smooth Election Day,” with the Guard members’ role “limited to supporting state and local resources.”
An example of the need for additional resources is a major weather event forceful enough to disrupt voting, according to the press release.
Inbox: @JosephMLombardo announced that as a “precautionary measure” he would activate the National Guard to assist with law enforcement on Election Day.
“[It’s] another way Nevada officials are preparing to ensure a smooth, safe and secure election for Nevadans in 2024.” pic.twitter.com/WIMN19H7ZD
— Tabitha Mueller (@tabitha_mueller) October 29, 2024
Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, a Democrat, announced that he fully supports Lombardo’s move to activate the National Guard in the Silver State for Election Day.
“I share Governor Lombardo’s commitment to security, preparedness and transparency,” Aguilar said. “This proactive decision will help ensure we are making the most of our available resources throughout Nevada.”
“Our election officials and law enforcement have been preparing for the November 5 election for years,” Aguilar added. “This will free up their resources on Election Day so they can focus on conducting a safe election.”
Governor Lombardo assured that his administration does not anticipate the need to deploy National Guard personnel.
What’s notable about this announcement is the fact that it’s restricted to November 5th only. This means that the Guard will not be made available to ensure a “safe” election in the following days.
This is critical considering the state Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that absentee ballots without a postmark cannot be received by 10 a.m three Days after the election must be counted.
Democrats in Nevada now know exactly how many ballots they need to produce after the polls close and then have three days to produce them. No postmark required means there’s no barrier to firing up the ballot printer and getting rid of brrrr. https://t.co/beZAv8Y1fX
– Sean Davis (@seanmdav) October 28, 2024
“If a voter casts his vote properly and on time by mailing his ballot before or on the day of the election, and the ballot is not postmarked due to a failure in the mail, it would be contrary to public policy to discount that properly cast vote.” said the court’s confirmation order.
“In fact, there is no fundamental difference between mail-in ballots where the postmark is ‘illegible’ or ‘smeared’ and those without a postmark – in either case, the date the mail-in ballot was received by the post office cannot be determined.”
At least there is one distinction that comes to mind. If the ballot does not have a postmark, it may be because it was not mailed at all. This is different than if the postmark were smeared or completely deleted.
Nevada is a crucial swing state where the RealClearPolitics Survey average currently sees a 0.7% lead for former President Donald Trump.
President Biden won the state by fewer than 34,000 votes in 2020. Hillary Clinton won Nevada in 2016 by just over 27,000 votes.
The state has not been in the red in presidential elections since George W. Bush’s victory in 2004.
