Nevada’s 2026 election cycle will begin with a primary election on June 9, 2026, leading up to a general election on November 3, 2026. According to reporting from the Reno Gazette Journal, the cycle features contests for all of the state’s executive positions, as well as all four of Nevada’s U.S. House seats.
The executive races on the 2026 ballot include the positions of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and controller. While all U.S. House seats will be contested, no U.S. Senate seats for Nevada are scheduled for the 2026 ballot.
Primary Election Timeline and Voting
The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2026. For voters choosing to vote early, the early voting period for the primary begins on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and continues through Friday, June 5, 2026.
Mail-in ballots for the primary will be distributed based on the voter’s location. For residents living within the state of Nevada, mail-in primary ballots will be sent out between May 11, 2026, and May 18, 2026. Voters living outside of the state, including military members, will have their ballots sent on or before April 30, 2026.
General Election Timeline and Voting
The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The early voting window for the general election is set to run from Saturday, October 17, 2026, through Friday, October 30, 2026.
Mail-in ballots for the general election are scheduled to be sent out starting October 5, 2026.
Candidate Filing Deadlines
The window for candidates to officially file for office varied by position. Those running for seats as justices and judges in 2026 were required to file in January 2026. All other candidates had a filing window from March 2, 2026, to March 13, 2026, to officially enter the 2026 primary.
Local and County Races
Several key local races are featured in the 2026 cycle, particularly within Washoe County. Primary action will include a race for district attorney and three commission seats. A commission election in District 5, which covers the northern part of the county, will determine the successor to Jeanne Herman, who is termed out.
City-level elections include mayoral races for both Reno and Sparks. In Reno, Mayor Hillary Schieve is unable to run for another term because she has already served three terms.
Voting Regulations and Procedures
The process for advancing candidates from the primary to the general election depends on whether the race is partisan or nonpartisan.
- Partisan Races: These include federal, state, and county campaigns where candidates declare a political party. In these contests, Republican and Democratic voters select their nominees, and the top vote-getter in each party moves forward to the November general election ballot.
- Nonpartisan Races: These include city races, such as those for mayor and city council. In these elections, ballots do not display the political party of the candidates, and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.
Voters who prefer to vote in-person rather than by mail have the option to opt out of receiving a mail ballot. To do so, voters must notify their registrar or county clerk that they do not wish to receive a ballot by mail.