Even Democrats in This Battleground State Back Voter ID. But There’s a Catch.

Even Democrats in Nevada’s state Legislature—a key battleground state—now favor voter ID, but with a catch. 

The catch was the bill also expands ballot drop boxes, typically favored by Democrats, which Republicans view with skepticism.  

The bill passed the Senate Monday with a 16-5 vote, and now heads to Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support in the past for voter ID, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. 

Lombardo vetoed a bill earlier in the session that expanded ballot drop boxes. Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a Democrat, sponsored Assembly Bill 499 as a compromise. 

Nevada is one of 14 states that do not require photo ID for in-person voting. Since 2021, multiple states passed election reforms that expanded some form of ID requirement to mail-in voting. 

As noted in my book “The Myth of Voter Suppression,” voter turnout has historically increased in states that adopt voter ID requirements.

In November, Nevada voters approved Question 7 to amend the state constitution to require photo identification for in-person voting. The ballot question was set to return in 2026 for another round of voting before it can take effect. The legislation, while adding momentum to the policy, would only be a law lacking the same teeth as a constitutional amendment. 

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on election integrity requiring the Justice Department to prioritize enforcing federal election laws, while also stating that mail ballots must arrive by Election Day.