How I spent Election Day: Ballot curing in rural-ish northern Nevada

Headed toward Kingsbury Grade between
Hwy 395/Eastern Sierra and Stateline, Nevada on Lake Tahoe

I made a commitment 18 months ago that, come Election Day, I'd be in a place where I could make a difference in the election outcome.  I made that commitment to my law school roommate, now a US Dept. of Justice lawyer, who made the same commitment.  My roomie had grown up in Philadelphia and lives in DC, so her habit was to go back to Philly each election day to drive voters to the polls.  Since California was sure to "go blue," I'd assumed I'd either fly to a place I could make difference, say Georgia or Texas, or drive to Nevada.  Reno, the County Seat of Washoe County, northern Nevada's population center, is just about two hours from greater Sacramento, where I live.  

South of Carson City, Nevada, November 3, 2020,
the most rural locale where we worked at ballot curing

But coronavirus struck and flying to a "swing state" was no longer an option. So, on Monday afternoon I drove to Reno, where the Nevada Democratic Party has an office and was dispatching poll workers and volunteers to "cure ballots."  This was a new concept for me.  It means going to voters whose absentee/mail in votes have been rejected--typically because of signature mismatch--and helping them "cure" their ballot.  This can be done over the phone in some counties (Clark/Las Vegas; Washoe/Reno; and Carson City), but otherwise requires the PIN the voting official has sent the voter, in which case the vote can be cured by text or affidavit mailed or delivered to a voting official.  

At Washoe County Democratic Party headquarters,
picking up ballot cure literature

My friend/fellow volunteer and I were assigned territory (a/k/a "turf") in "South Carson City" and Douglas County, which was code for Stateline, Nevada and Zephyr Point, Nevada, both on Lake Tahoe.  Most of our "South Carson City" turf was in older housing developments along Hwy 395, places that might be considered exurban because that far from Carson City proper.  Our "Douglas County" turf was over the Kingsbury Grade at the summit above Lake Tahoe and along the lake, an area that represents rural gentrification if it is rural at all.  (Keep in mind that rich folks in northern California sometimes move to Nevada for tax avoidance purposes, including to Douglas County).  See below for more photos of the day.  

Office of the Nevada Secretary of State, Carson City

As I finalize this post on Wednesday night, Nov. 4, Nevada is still in play, but leaning toward Biden with its six electoral votes.  Here's to the Silver State, whose motto is "Battle Born."  Appreciate your hospitality and an opportunity to make a difference in a race which, in states like Nevada, was very close.  Overall, it was a positive, empowering experience.   A New York Times story about the rise of the Nevada Democratic Party's organization is here.

Housing Development south of Carson City, NV 

Mexican Dam, Sierra View Road, south of Carson City