Republican Nevada governor vetoes voter ID measure

The Hill

15 hours ago

Nevada's GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a voter ID measure on Thursday foregoing a proposed requirement to have voters show identification before casting ballots at the polls.
The bill known as AB499 was passed in a bipartisan effort by the state legislature to improve voter verification and increase the number of drop boxes for mail ballots across the state.
Lombardo said he ultimately chose to veto the bill over a lack of clear provisions and guidelines on regulations.
'I wholeheartedly support Voter ID and am appreciative of the effort to codify it into statute. However, this bill is not entirely consistent with the constitutional amendment that Nevada voters will consider again in 2026,' the governor wrote in a Thursday message.
'AB 499 fails to resolve-and may even introduce- inconsistencies in how voter identification is reviewed, does little to improve signature verification and leaves too much ambiguity for future interpretation or regulation,' he added.
The legislation would've required in-person voters to show their ID while allowing mail-in ballots to be accepted with a valid signature.
'This inconsistency undermines the principle of uniform voter verification. Voter ID is essential for ensuring election integrity, and it should be applied consistently across all voting methods,' Lombardo said.
However, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Nev.) said the veto symbolized a 'breach of trust' after the governor previously shared support for the bill, according to the Associated Press.
Lombardo's veto comes as Republicans usher in a sweeping push to codify stricter identification requirements for voters.