Early voting begins Saturday

Voters who want to avoid crowds Nov. 5 can cast ballots starting Saturday through Nov. 1.

"Clearly many voters believe that early voting offers them an opportunity to cast their vote without having to worry about making special arrangements to get to their polling place on election day," said Secretary of State Dean Heller.

Polling places will be open at 10 a.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Closing time is set for 6 p.m., but clerks can keep them open until 8 p.m. if they wish during the second week of early voting.

In Carson City, voting booths will be in the clerk's office in the courthouse on Musser Street.

Storey County holds its early voting at the courthouse in Virginia City.

In Douglas and Lyon counties, the schedule is more complicated because early voting is offered in outlying areas on specific dates.

In Douglas, the main early voting stations will be in the lobby of the Minden Inn where the clerk's office is located.

At Stateline, early voting will be at the sheriff's substation on both Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29.

Topaz Ranch Estates will offer Saturday voting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 30.

The Ridgeview Estates Fire Station will offer early voting from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 24. The Johnson Lane Fire Station will be open to voters the same hours Oct. 31.

In Lyon County, the main clerk's office in Yerington will be open each day of early voting. The clerk's office will take the ballot boxes to outlying areas of the county from 6 to 8 p.m. Smith Valley voters can go to the firehouse Oct. 21 and Oct. 31. Voters in Dayton, Silver City and Mound House can vote Oct. 22 and Oct. 30 at the community center. In Silver Springs, booths will be at the McAtee Building Oct. 23 and Oct. 29. Voters in Fernley can go to city hall to cast ballots the evenings of Oct. 24 and Oct. 28.

In the Sept. 3 primary election, one third of those who voted did so during the early voting period -- a total of 79,921 out of 236,043 statewide. That is the same percentage as cast ballots early during the 2000 general election.

Those totals included 7,075 early voters in Carson City and 5,509 in Douglas County, 227 in Storey and 1,497 in Lyon County.

The ballots are kept under lock and key and not counted until the general election is completed.