Nevada
Filing fees for most, petition districts for measures
Nevada is unusually easy for party candidates and unusually structured for ballot measures. Nearly every partisan candidate qualifies by paying a modest filing fee with no signatures at all, while measure sponsors must spread signatures equally across the state's petition districts. The old rule requiring signatures from 13 of 17 counties was struck down in 2006 and replaced with a congressional-district framework that still binds hard.
Signature and Fee Requirements
| Office / Measure | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Major and minor party candidates | No signatures — declaration of candidacy plus filing fee |
| Filing fees | U.S. Senate $500; U.S. House, Governor, Supreme Court $300; other state office $200; district judge $150; legislator, county office, justice of the peace $100; other district, constable, township $30 |
| Independent candidates | 1% of votes cast for that office at the last general election, or a floor of 250 statewide and 100 for other offices, whichever is greater |
| Statewide initiative (statute) | 10% of total votes cast at the last general election, apportioned equally among petition districts; indirect — goes to the Legislature first |
| Statewide initiative (constitutional) | Same 10%, equally apportioned, and must pass at two consecutive general elections |
| Statewide referendum | 10% of total votes cast at the last general election, equally apportioned |
| County and city measures | Initiative 15%, referendum 10% of voters at the last general or city election |
| Petition districts | Nevada's congressional districts under NRS 304.095 — currently four; each document names one district and only its voters may sign |
Filing Window Structure
Nevada uses a compressed spring window. Declarations of candidacy for non-judicial office open the first Monday in March and close at 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday afterward. Independents run a longer track: a petition copy is filed starting January 2, signatures are submitted from the first Monday in March through 5:00 p.m. on the third Friday in June, and the declaration follows verification. Fees are non-refundable and payable only by cash, cashier's check or certified check.
Who May Circulate
Nevada imposes no residency or voter-registration requirement on circulators. Under NRS 295.0575 a circulator must be at least 18, personally circulate the document, witness every signature, and give each signer a chance to read the full text. The affidavit must state the circulator's residential street address and the total signature count on that document, and every document in a multi-document petition needs its own affidavit.
Petition Districts and Distribution
NRS 295.012 requires the constitutional signature total to be apportioned equally among petition districts, and NRS 293.069 defines a petition district as a congressional district. Each document must name one district, and only registered voters of that district may sign it — so a signature from the wrong district is simply invalid. District-tagged sheet management is the central logistical problem of any Nevada measure drive.
Verification Bands and Challenges
County clerks verify only after the Secretary of State confirms statewide raw counts reach 100% of the requirement. Documents of 500 or fewer signatures are examined in full; above 500, clerks sample at least 500 signatures or 5%, whichever is greater. Under 90% projected validity means insufficient; between 90% and 100%, clerks keep examining until they reach the number or exhaust the signatures. Separately, the 200-word description of effect may be challenged within 15 business days of filing and legal sufficiency within 7 business days of certification — the most common reason Nevada measures die early.
Ballot Measures in Nevada
Nevada has direct constitutional initiative, indirect statutory initiative and referendum. Sponsors file the text before circulation along with a single-subject-compliant description of effect of no more than 200 words that appears on every signature page. Article 19 sets the threshold at 10% of votes cast at the last general election, and NRS 295.012 apportions that total equally among the four petition districts — the successor to the 13-county rule the Ninth Circuit struck down in ACLU of Nevada v. Lomax as a one-person-one-vote violation. Statutory initiatives are indirect: signatures go to county clerks within 15 days after the general election preceding a legislative session, and the measure reaches voters only if lawmakers decline to act. Constitutional initiatives are submitted within 15 days after the primary and, if approved, must be approved again at the next general election. Confirm the cycle's exact signature number with the Secretary of State.
What Trips Campaigns Up in Nevada
We've Worked This Ground
Nevada Ballot Access FAQ
Do Nevada candidates need signatures?
Most do not. Major and minor party candidates qualify by filing a declaration of candidacy and paying a filing fee ranging from $30 to $500 depending on the office. Only independent candidates must submit a petition.
What are the petition districts?
They are Nevada's congressional districts, currently four, defined by the shapefile adopted under NRS 304.095. The statewide requirement is divided equally among them, and each document may be signed only by voters of the district it names.
Can circulators be from out of state?
Yes. Nevada does not require circulators to be residents or registered voters. They must be at least 18, personally witness each signature, and sign an affidavit on each document.
Is there a cure period?
No. There is no supplementation after the filing deadline. The only practical margin is the verification band — a sample projecting between 90% and 100% triggers continued examination rather than automatic failure.
Running a Campaign in This State?
Signature requirements are the easy part. Hitting them on deadline is the job.