Look-Alike Voter Registration Mailers: Verify Before You Act
Category
Mail and Elections
Affects
Residents
Status
Seasonal
Source
Community reported
A Reno voter reported a mailer that appeared to come from the Washoe County Registrar of Voters and urged them to register, but it used an incorrect version of their last name, likely pulled from a commercial data broker, and had a return address outside Nevada. We have not confirmed who sent this mailer, and it may not be a scam. The Nevada Secretary of State warns that third-party groups sometimes send registration mailers that look official, and the county also sends real voter notices. The risk is acting on the mailer, such as registering a second time with the wrong name details, or sending personal information to the wrong place, instead of checking your status yourself.
How it works
- A mailer arrives that looks like official election mail and says you are not registered or need to register or update your information.
- Your name and address are often taken from commercial data broker lists, so the details can be slightly wrong, such as a misspelled or partial name.
- Some mailers come from third-party groups, and the Secretary of State notes they can use return address details that resemble a state or county office without being affiliated with it.
- Following the mailer's instructions can lead to a duplicate or incorrect registration, or to handing personal details to an unknown party.
Red flags
- The mailer says you are not registered, but you believe you already are.
- Your name is misspelled, shortened, or otherwise different from your driver's license or voter record.
- A return address or postmark outside Nevada, or no clear name of the office or group that sent it.
- Nevada law requires a non-governmental sender that tells someone they are not or may not be registered to state that the notice is not official election mail. A missing statement is a warning sign.
- It asks for your Social Security number, driver's license number, or payment.
What to do
- Do not fill out or return the mailer. Check your registration yourself at nvsos.gov (Voter Registration Search), typing the address into your browser.
- If you are registered, no action is needed. If you need to register or update, use the state's official online voter registration or contact your county elections office directly.
- Compare the mailer to official forms. The state form has the Nevada state seal and an application number in the upper right corner, according to the Secretary of State.
- If a mailer claims to be from the county but looks wrong, call the Washoe County Registrar of Voters using the number on washoecounty.gov, not one from the mailer.
- Report suspicious election mail to the Nevada Secretary of State's office, and to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if you believe it is fraudulent.
Already paid or shared information? See the step-by-step checklist and the list of places to report. You can also report to the FTC or the FBI IC3.
Sources
Nevada Secretary of State: Official Election Mail · Nevada Secretary of State: Voter Registration Search · Washoe County: changes to voter registration and Automatic Voter Registration notices
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Posted solely for community awareness. This is not an official government or law enforcement notice, and High Sierra Cyber is not affiliated with any agency named here. Board last updated October 10, 2026. Details, phone numbers, and policies change, so confirm with the official agency before acting. Submitted reports are unverified. General information only, not legal or financial advice.