RNC Sues Nevada Secretary of State Over Law Allowing Certain Non-Residents to Vote

The Republican National Committee escalated its election integrity efforts Friday by filing a lawsuit against Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, challenging a state law that Republicans argue allows people who have never lived in Nevada and, in some cases, have never lived in the United States to register and vote in Nevada elections.

The lawsuit, filed by the RNC, the Nevada Republican Party, and Republican Secretary of State nominee Jim Marchant, asks a state court to strike down what Republicans call Nevada’s unconstitutional “never-resident voter” law. The plaintiffs argue the policy directly conflicts with the Nevada Constitution, which requires that eligible voters have actually resided in the state before casting a ballot.

According to the complaint, current Nevada law allows certain overseas U.S. citizens who have never established residency in Nevada to vote based solely on the prior residency of a parent or legal guardian. Republicans contend that residency cannot be inherited and that the state constitution requires voters themselves, not their parents, to have lived in Nevada before becoming eligible to vote.

“The Nevada Constitution is clear,” the lawsuit argues. “Voters must have actually, as opposed to constructively, resided in Nevada.”

The lawsuit seeks both to invalidate the challenged provision and require Nevada election officials to remove ineligible “never-resident” voters from the state’s voter rolls.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to ensure elections are decided only by eligible Nevada voters.

“Nevada Democrats are enforcing a policy that allows certain people who have never lived in Nevada to vote in Nevada elections,” Gruters said. “The RNC is taking action to defend Nevada’s Constitution and ensure Nevada elections are decided only by eligible Nevada voters.”

Republicans argue the case is about enforcing Nevada’s own constitutional residency requirements rather than changing who may legally vote under federal law. They point to language in Article II of the Nevada Constitution stating that electors must have actually resided within the state before becoming qualified to vote.

The lawsuit also continues a broader national legal strategy by the RNC.

Over the past several months, Republicans have filed similar lawsuits in North Carolina, Nebraska, and Colorado challenging state laws that permit certain overseas U.S. citizens who have never personally lived in those states to vote based on a parent’s prior residency. Republicans point to a favorable ruling in North Carolina while continuing to press similar constitutional arguments elsewhere. 

Election integrity has become one of the defining issues heading into the 2026 election cycle, with Republicans arguing that states should strictly enforce residency requirements, maintain accurate voter rolls, and ensure that only eligible voters participate in elections. Democrats and voting-rights advocates have generally defended the challenged laws, arguing they implement federal protections for certain U.S. citizens living overseas and preserve voting access for eligible Americans with family ties to a state. 

The lawsuit places Nevada once again at the center of the national debate over election law.

With competitive races for governor, secretary of state, and multiple congressional seats on the ballot in 2026, Republicans are making election integrity a central campaign issue, arguing that public confidence in elections depends on faithfully enforcing constitutional voter eligibility requirements.

If successful, the lawsuit would invalidate the challenged provision of Nevada law and require state election officials to remove affected registrations before future elections, marking another significant legal victory in the RNC’s nationwide election integrity effort.

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