Washoe County's top election official said his office has a plan if federal agents show up at polling places, and he wants voters to know: keep voting.

Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald said the county adopted a response plan, following state guidance, in case federal agents such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers appear at vote centers. If voters encounter any disruption, they can go to any of the county's more than 40 vote centers, McDonald said in a KUNR report first reported Oct. 26.

"We are telling voters, continue to vote. This is a distraction for whatever reason," McDonald said. "If you walk away, that's potentially what folks want to happen."

McDonald does not expect federal agents to appear. But the contingency plan reflects broader concerns about the Trump Administration's posture toward state-run elections ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

For voters worried about intimidation, McDonald offered a simple alternative: mail ballots sent in early.

Security and testing

Deputy Registrar of Voters Reggie Greer Jr. walked KUNR through the county's equipment preparation at a warehouse being renovated to house election operations. Staff tested 900 voting booths by hand, Greer said, because none of the machines connect to the internet or any other network.

Observers were welcome to watch the testing process. The public can also watch ballots being cast and processed via a Washoe County livestream.

How to vote in Sparks, Spanish Springs and Sun Valley

Early voting runs through Oct. 30 at locations across Washoe County. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Local early voting sites include the Sparks Library at 1125 12th St., the Spanish Springs Library at 7100-A Pyramid Hwy. and the Sun Valley Neighborhood Center at 115 W. 6th Ave.

On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at more than 40 vote centers countywide. Voters can cast a ballot at any location, not just one near their home.

Sparks and Spanish Springs Election Day sites include:

  • Dilworth Middle School, 255 Prater Way, Sparks
  • Hug High School, 3530 Sullivan Ln., Sparks (super center with extra capacity)
  • Mendive Middle School, 1900 Whitewood Dr., Sparks
  • Reed High School, 1350 Baring Blvd., Sparks
  • Sky Ranch Middle School, 1200 Windmill Farms Pkwy., Sparks
  • Spanish Springs High School, 1065 Eagle Canyon Dr., Sparks (super center)
  • Van Gorder Elementary School, 7650 Campello Dr., Sparks
  • Whitehead Elementary School, 3570 Waterfall Dr., Sparks
  • Sun Valley Neighborhood Center, 115 W. 6th Ave., Sun Valley

At check-in, an election worker will ask for a name and residential address and have the voter sign for signature verification. Voters who received a mail ballot but choose to vote in person should bring it to surrender. Each voter receives an activated card to insert into an ICX Prime touch-screen tablet. The machine prints a paper record of selections for review before the ballot is cast. Those printouts are retained for post-election accuracy checks, according to the Washoe County Registrar of Voters.

Early voting ends Friday, Oct. 30.