State of Nevada

Nevada Photo ID Ballot Initiative Challenge I

Persaud-Zamora v. Cegavske

Lawsuit filed on behalf of a Nevada voter challenging a Republican-led ballot initiative seeking to add strict ID requirements for in-person and mail-in voting in Nevada. The initiative, spearheaded by a Republican-led PAC called “Repair the Vote,” seeks to add an identification requirement so that voters would have to show photo ID at the polls or for mail-in ballots or provide the last four digits of their driver’s license or Social Security number. The lawsuit argues that this initiative is being characterized as a “voter integrity” initiative, but “​​the description of effect is utterly silent on the impact that the measure would have on eligible Nevada voters’ ability to successfully exercise their right to vote, should it be enacted.” Due to this, the lawsuit argues that the measure’s description is “legally deficient because it is argumentative, confusing, deceptive, and misleading” in violation of Nevada law. The lawsuit also highlights the Nevada Constitution’s prohibition on ballot initiatives that require an “expenditure of money” and argues that this ballot measure, if approved, would require the state to spend significant money on updating voter registration materials and outreach in violation of this provision.

On April 26, the judge found that the petition’s description needed to be amended, thereby invalidating the previous iteration of the petition and making it unlikely that any new version ballot measure will gather enough signatures in time to be placed on the 2022 ballot.

Case Documents

Last updated: