1. Except as otherwise provided in chapter 293D of NRS, the Secretary of State shall, in a manner consistent with the election laws of this State, prescribe:

(a) The form of all ballots, absent ballots, diagrams, sample ballots, certificates, notices, declarations, applications to preregister and register to vote, lists, applications, registers, rosters, statements and abstracts required by the election laws of this State.

(b) The procedures to be followed and the requirements of:

(1) A system established pursuant to NRS 293.506 for using a computer to register voters and to keep records of registration.

(2) The system established by the Secretary of State pursuant to NRS 293.671 for using a computer to register voters.

2. Except as otherwise provided in chapter 293D of NRS, the Secretary of State shall prescribe with respect to the matter to be printed on every kind of ballot:

(a) The placement and listing of all offices, candidates and measures upon which voting is statewide, which must be uniform throughout the State.

(b) The listing of all other candidates required to file with the Secretary of State, and the order of listing all offices, candidates and measures upon which voting is not statewide, from which each county or city clerk shall prepare appropriate ballot forms for use in any election in his or her county.

3. The Secretary of State shall place the condensation of each proposed constitutional amendment or statewide measure near the spaces or devices for indicating the voter’s choice.

4. The fiscal note for, explanation of, arguments for and against, and rebuttals to such arguments of each proposed constitutional amendment or statewide measure must be included on all sample ballots.

5. The condensations and explanations for constitutional amendments and statewide measures proposed by initiative or referendum must be prepared by the Secretary of State, upon consultation with the Attorney General. The arguments and rebuttals for or against constitutional amendments and statewide measures proposed by initiative or referendum must be prepared in the manner set forth in NRS 293.252. The fiscal notes for constitutional amendments and statewide measures proposed by initiative or referendum must be prepared by the Secretary of State, upon consultation with the Fiscal Analysis Division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau. The condensations, explanations, arguments, rebuttals and fiscal notes must be in easily understood language and of reasonable length, and whenever feasible must be completed by August 1 of the year in which the general election is to be held. The explanations must include a digest. The digest must include a concise and clear summary of any existing laws directly related to the constitutional amendment or statewide measure and a summary of how the constitutional amendment or statewide measure adds to, changes or repeals such existing laws. For a constitutional amendment or statewide measure that creates, generates, increases or decreases any public revenue in any form, the first paragraph of the digest must include a statement that the constitutional amendment or statewide measure creates, generates, increases or decreases, as applicable, public revenue.

6. The names of candidates for township and legislative or special district offices must be printed only on the ballots furnished to voters of that township or district.

7. A county clerk:

(a) May divide paper ballots into two sheets in a manner which provides a clear understanding and grouping of all measures and candidates.

(b) Shall prescribe the color or colors of the ballots and voting receipts used in any election which the clerk is required to conduct.

(Added to NRS by 1960, 250; A 1961, 288; 1965, 652; 1967, 846; 1971, 441, 1486; 1977, 242, 1010; 1981, 752; 1985, 558; 1987, 110, 338; 1995, 2262; 1997, 2777, 2795, 3064, 3453; 1999, 635; 2003, 1690; 2007, 2585; 2011, 1922, 2085; 2013, 643; 2017, 3844; 2019, 4067, effective January 1, 2020)