With high turnout levels expected, New Mexico readies for start of absentee and early voting

Clarification: A previous version of this story did mention that New Mexico allows same-day voter registration through Election Day. The story has been modified to include that information.

SANTA FE — With less than a month left until Election Day, New Mexico county clerks say they’re ready for absentee and limited early voting to begin Tuesday across the state.

Turnout levels are expected to be high across the state, with a key presidential election and a high-profile U.S. Senate race among the contests on the Nov. 5 ballot.

In Lincoln County, where an estimated 900 homes in the Ruidoso area were destroyed this summer by wildfires, County Clerk Shannan Hemphill said many local residents are determined to vote.

“I think everyone is trying to get a sense of normalcy back, and this is a step in that process,” Hemphill said Monday. “We’re actually expecting a really good turnout.”

As of last week, a total of 959 county residents had requested an absentee ballot — or about 6.6% of that county’s more than 14,000 registered voters, she said.

Hemphill also said many local residents have requested new voter registration cards, since their previous cards were burned in fires at their homes started by the approaching flames. But she said such voters do not have to register again to vote.

In Santa Fe County, voter outreach coordinator Mitchell Steven Cox said the county clerk’s office is expecting a turnout of between 75% to 85% of registered voters. More than half of those who cast ballots will likely do so via early or absentee voting, though Cox said local officials also expect robust Election Day voting participation.

“I think now that (COVID-19) is not top of mind, we’re going to see a lot more people voting in person on Election Day,” Cox told the Journal.

In all, a total of 928,230 New Mexicans cast ballots in the 2020 general election — or about 68.7% of registered voters. Roughly 15% of those votes were cast on Election Day.

Turnout levels are typically higher in presidential election years, and this year’s election features a hotly contested race between former Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

New Mexico voters will also decide the winner of a high-profile U.S. Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Martin Heinrich and Republican Nella Domenici.

All three state congressional seats are also up for election — Democrats currently hold all three seats — and office-holders for county-level posts across New Mexico will be decided by voters.

In addition, all 112 legislative seats are up for election, with Democrats seeking to expand their existing majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives, and Republicans trying to narrow that advantage.

Nathan Jaramillo, the Bernalillo County Bureau of Elections administrator, said more than 40,000 absentee ballot requests had been made as of Monday in the state’s most populous county.

Those ballots will be sent out to registered voters Tuesday and must be returned by Election Day in order to be counted.

They can be dropped off at any of the county’s 72 Election Day polling places, or any of the 21 early voting centers that open when expanded early voting begins Oct. 19, Jaramillo said.

The county also has set up two designated ballot drop boxes under a state mandate that all counties provide at least one drop box.

Meanwhile, this year’s general election marks the first statewide election since a new law barring guns from polling places took effect.

The law, which has several exemptions, prohibits firearms from being openly carried within 100 feet of a polling place or within 50 feet of a ballot drop box.

Poll workers in Bernalillo County have been trained to recognize threats, Jaramillo said, while adding elections officials have worked closely with law enforcement in preparation for this year’s election.

“Any violations will be addressed swiftly,” he said, but added that voters will not be searched for firearms or forced to pass through metal detectors.

While early voting technically begins Tuesday, it generally is limited to county clerks’ offices around the state. That will change Oct. 19, when most counties open additional early voting sites.

In addition, while Tuesday is the last day to register to vote online or by mail, eligible New Mexicans can still register and cast their ballots in person through Election Day.

State lawmakers approved same-day voter registration in 2019, but the option was implemented gradually in order to give county clerks ample time to prepare.