Got a Nevada signature verification form in the mail? Here are 3 things to know.

Confused voters are flooding Washoe County with questions about voter signature verification cards the Nevada Secretary of State’s office sent out last week.

“These cards are not a scam,” said Washoe County spokesperson Bethany Drysdale in an email Monday, adding: “We are receiving a lot of phone calls.”

Are Nevada signature verification cards mandatory to fill out?

The cards are not mandatory to return.

“Completing and submitting the form is optional and will not affect your ability to vote in the upcoming election,” the Secretary of State’s office said in a news release.

Why were Nevada signature verification cards sent out?

Nevada law requires election officials to use your signature to verify your identity when voting.

The card’s intention was to give registered voters the opportunity to update their signature on file because signatures can evolve over time.

“This is an effort to get ahead of possible delays caused by mismatched signatures,” Drysdale said. “They will ensure that we have accurate signatures on file.”

If the signature on a mail-in ballot does not match the one on file, it gets flagged and election officials reach out to the voter by mail – or by phone if a number was provided – in order to confirm the actual registered voter submitted the ballot. If the signature can’t be confirmed by the Saturday after the election, the ballot is not counted.

More than 800 ballots required additional signature verification – called curing – in June’s primary.

Signatures can also be flagged for not matching when voting in person at a vote center.

Why does Nevada’s signature verification mailer want personal details?

If you send back the postcard with your current signature, it asks you to provide additional information to identify it’s really you: your date of birth or the last four digits of either your driver’s license or Social Security number.

“The letter asks for information to confirm the identity of the individual responding if there are any questions on the updated signature,” the Secretary of State’s office said.

If you don’t feel comfortable providing the added information on the return postcard, you can submit your signature update in person at your registrar of voters or county clerk’s office.

In Washoe County, that’s in Room 135 at 1001 E. Ninth St., Building A in Reno.

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.