In a surprise move, the Nevada Legislature advanced a constitutional amendment on Wednesday to codify the practice of sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters, which has long been opposed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.

SJR1, introduced late Wednesday evening, would require a county clerk to send each active registered voter a mail ballot within a certain time frame and would allow individuals to choose not to receive a ballot. These provisions are already in Nevada law, but the amendment would enshrine them in the state Constitution, making it harder to overturn. The resolution did not receive a hearing, and its existence was publicly revealed for the first time shortly before lawmakers voted on it.

As a resolution, instead of a traditional bill, the proposal does not need Lombardo’s approval and can pass with a majority vote in the Legislature. It will now head to the 2027 legislative session, where approval would send the measure to voters in 2028.

“We had a lot of business to do here at the Legislature, a lot of pieces of legislation that had to be moved. Resolutions do not require committee hearings. … While we were prioritizing committee business, this was something that we had ready to go,” Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas), who introduced the resolution, told reporters when asked about its last-minute introduction. 

The proposal also did not need to be part of the governor’s special session agenda to be brought before the Legislature because it is a resolution.

The governor’s office declined to comment Wednesday.

The measure also includes provisions that would expand access to mail ballot drop boxes in the days leading up to Election Day. This was part of a proposal that the Legislature passed in the 2025 session, but Lombardo vetoed it, saying the measure “falls short of its stated goals while failing to guarantee appropriate oversight.”

The drop box expansion measure was resurrected as part of a potential deal between Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas) and Lombardo to require voter ID in state elections, but that deal fell apart after Lombardo said it would not do enough to require voter ID.

The resolution passed the Assembly 25-8, along party lines, and passed out of the Senate on a 12-4 vote, with Republicans in opposition.

The measure comes after a slew of progressive election reforms failed to make it out of the 2025 legislature session, such as a measure to allow non-partisans to participate in primaries. 

Cannizzaro said that it would help “ensure access to fair and safe elections” in Nevada. 

Updated at 11:20 p.m. on 11/19/2025 with comments from Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas) .