1. If the statistical sampling shows that the number of valid signatures filed is 90 percent or more, but less than the sum of 100 percent of the number of signatures of registered voters needed to declare the petition sufficient plus the total number of requests to remove a name received by the county clerks pursuant to NRS 295.055 or pursuant to NRS 306.015 for a petition to recall a public officer who holds a statewide office, if applicable, the Secretary of State shall order the county clerks to examine the signatures for verification. The county clerks shall examine the signatures for verification until they determine that 100 percent of the number of signatures of registered voters needed to declare the petition sufficient are valid. If the county clerks received a request to remove a name pursuant to NRS 295.055 or pursuant to NRS 306.015 for a petition to recall a public officer who holds a statewide office, if applicable, the county clerks may not determine that 100 percent of the number of signatures of registered voters needed to declare the petition sufficient are valid until they have removed each name as requested pursuant to NRS 295.055 or 306.015.

2. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if the statistical sampling shows that the number of valid signatures filed in any county is 90 percent or more but less than the sum of 100 percent of the number of signatures of registered voters needed to constitute 10 percent of the number of voters who voted at the last preceding general election in that county plus the total number of requests to remove a name received by the county clerk in that county pursuant to NRS 295.055 or pursuant to NRS 306.015 for a petition to recall a public officer who holds a statewide office, if applicable, the Secretary of State may order the county clerk in that county to examine every signature for verification. If the county clerk received a request to remove a name pursuant to NRS 295.055 or pursuant to NRS 306.015 for a petition to recall a public officer who holds a statewide office, if applicable, the county clerk may not determine that 100 percent or more of the number of signatures of registered voters needed to constitute 10 percent of the number of voters who voted at the last preceding general election in that county are valid until the county clerk has removed each name as requested pursuant to NRS 295.055 or 306.015. In the case of a petition for initiative or referendum that proposes a constitutional amendment or statewide measure, if the statistical sampling shows that the number of valid signatures in any petition district is 90 percent or more but less than the sum of 100 percent of the number of signatures of registered voters required for that petition district pursuant to NRS 295.012 plus the total number of requests to remove a name received by the county clerk or county clerks, if the petition district comprises more than one county, pursuant to NRS 295.055, the Secretary of State may order a county clerk to examine every signature for verification.

3. After the receipt of such an order, the county clerk or county clerks shall determine from the records of registration what number of registered voters have signed the petition and, if appropriate, tally those signatures by petition district. This determination must be completed within 12 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after the receipt of an order regarding a petition containing signatures which are required to be verified pursuant to NRS 293.128, 295.056, 298.109 or 306.110, or pursuant to NRS 306.035 for a petition to recall a public officer who holds a statewide office, and within 5 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after the receipt of an order regarding a petition containing signatures which are required to be verified pursuant to NRS 293.172 or 293.200. If necessary, the board of county commissioners shall allow the county clerk additional assistants for examining the signatures and provide for their compensation. In determining from the records of registration what number of registered voters have signed the petition and in determining in which petition district the voters reside, the county clerk must use the statewide voter registration list. The county clerk may rely on the appearance of the signature and the address and date included with each signature in determining the number of registered voters that signed the petition.

4. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, upon completing the examination, the county clerk or county clerks shall immediately attach to the documents of the petition an amended certificate, properly dated, showing the result of the examination and shall immediately forward the documents with the amended certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of the amended certificate must be filed in the county clerk’s office. In the case of a petition for initiative or referendum to propose a constitutional amendment or statewide measure, if a petition district comprises more than one county, the county clerks shall comply with the regulations adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this section to complete the amended certificate.

5. For any petition containing signatures which are required to be verified pursuant to the provisions of NRS 293.200, 306.035 or 306.110 for any county, district or municipal office within one county, the county clerk shall not forward to the Secretary of State the documents containing the signatures of the registered voters.

6. Except for a petition to recall a county, district or municipal officer, the petition shall be deemed filed with the Secretary of State as of the date on which the Secretary of State receives certificates from the county clerks showing the petition to be signed by the requisite number of voters of the State.

7. If the amended certificates received from all county clerks by the Secretary of State establish that the petition is still insufficient, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the petitioners and the county clerks. If the petition is a petition to recall a county, district or municipal officer, the Secretary of State shall also notify the filing officer with whom the petition is to be filed.

8. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.

(Added to NRS by 1985, 1091; A 1985, 551; 1987, 1362; 1993, 2666; 1997, 751; 1999, 2148; 2001, 642; 2003, 2174; 2007, 2742; 2009, 2590; 2011, 1786, 3273; 2015, 3570; 2019, 1630)