Nevada Governor Rejects Bill to Ban Firearms at Election Sites
Nevada’s Governor Joe Lombardo has vetoed a proposed law aimed at barring firearms from election locations, a decision that stands in contrast to the opinions of a significant number of Nevadans. This decision represents a missed opportunity to enhance protections against voter intimidation, diverging from measures already in place in states like Florida and Texas.
The rejected bill, NV A.B. 105, sought to outlaw firearms within 100 feet of election sites, including polling places, central counting stations, and drop boxes. Advocates such as the Brennan Center and various gun violence prevention organizations supported this legislation as a prudent measure to protect the voting process. According to a 2025 poll by Everytown for Gun Safety, 70 percent of Nevada voters agreed that firearms should be absent from voting sites. Nevertheless, Lombardo had previously vetoed a similar measure in 2023.
Recent elections have witnessed an increase in political violence and intimidation targeting voters and election workers, with firearms sometimes used as tools of coercion. For instance, in 2022, armed members of a militia group intimidated voters near drop boxes in Arizona. Additionally, individuals bearing arms and dressed in military attire gathered outside a Las Vegas vote counting site post-2020 election, shouting slogans like “Stop the steal.” The Nevada bill aimed to prevent such acts of armed intimidation.
Governor Lombardo argued that the bill was redundant due to existing laws; however, current legislation only criminalizes intimidation if it is intentional. The mere presence of a firearm near polling stations can be intimidating, irrespective of the carrier’s intent. This bill could have strengthened assurance that the threat of gun violence does not deter individuals from voting or volunteering as election workers.
While Nevada opts out of this legislation, other states have recognized the potential threat firearms pose to voter safety and have enacted laws to address this concern. States such as Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas have long prohibited firearms at polling places, and recently, states like Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Vermont have followed suit. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the legality of such measures under the Second Amendment, designating polling places as “sensitive locations” where firearms pose heightened risks.
As political violence and gun-related threats persist nationwide, it remains crucial for states to adopt policies that mitigate these threats and ensure that all citizens can vote without fear of intimidation. By vetoing this bill, Nevada’s governor has left a gap in the protections available to voters and election staff.
