Voting in New Mexico

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in New Mexico:

See Election administration in New Mexico for additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in New Mexico, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of New Mexico, and at least 18 years old by the time of the next election. People convicted of a felony are eligible to vote after their prison time is completed, even if they are still on probation, parole, or another form of supervised release. Individuals who have been declared mentally incapacitated may not register to vote.[1]

Potential New Mexico voters who were not registered automatically may use the New Mexico voter registration form or national voter registration form to register. Completed registration materials may be mailed or delivered by hand to election officials. First-time applicants by mail must attach a valid form of identification to their registration materials. Registration can also be completed online.[1]

In-person voting

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In New Mexico, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]

Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

New Mexico does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. However, if an individual registered to vote for the first time by mail and did not provide verification of his or her identity then, the voter will have to show identification.[3]

Those voters can present the following forms of identification:

  • Current and valid photo identification
  • Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card, or other government document, including identification issued by an Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo that shows the voter’s name and current address

Some municipalities require identification when voting in local elections. Click here for more information.

Early voting

See also: Early voting

New Mexico permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in New Mexico. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[4]

The county clerk must receive the absentee ballot application no later than 5 p.m. on Friday before the election. Completed ballots must be returned to the county clerk or voter's precinct before 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.[4]


Local election officials

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

People convicted of a felony are eligible to vote after their prison time is completed, even if they are still on probation, parole, or another form of supervised release.[5]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[6]

Noteworthy events

HB4 Voting Right Act

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed House Bill 4 into law on March 30, 2023. Proponents of the law referred to it as the New Mexico Voting Rights Act. HB4 made several changes to the state's election rules:

  • It established automatic voter registration. Voters are now automatically registered to vote when they interact with a department of motor vehicles unless they opt out. 
  • It automatically restored the right to vote for individuals convicted of a felony immediately after their prison time is completed. In the past, New Mexico restored voting rights to individuals convicted of a felony after completion of their entire sentence, including prison, probation, and parole. 
  • It allowed the state to offer more drop boxes.
  • It allowed the state to create a permanent absentee voter list where voters can opt in to automatically receive mail-in ballots before every statewide election. 
  • It enacted a Native American Voting Rights Act that permitted the use of governmental and official buildings as mailing addresses for voter registration purposes, ensured that pre-existing political lines are respected when adjusting precinct boundaries, and allowed Indian nations or tribes to request additional early voting locations, polling places, and drop boxes.
  • It designated Election Day as a school holiday. [7]

Election agencies

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See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in New Mexico can contact the following state and federal agencies.

New Mexico Secretary of State: Elections Division

325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501-4401
Phone: 505-827-3600
Email: elections@state.nm.us

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

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See also

Elections in New Mexico


External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, “Voter Registration Information,” accessed April 28, 2023
  2. ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 12.1", accessed April 28, 2023
  3. ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voting," accessed April 28, 2023
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed April 28, 2023
  5. ↑ Democracy Docket, "The New Mexico Voting Rights Act Unpacked," March 22, 2023
  6. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
  7. ↑ Democracy Docket, "The New Mexico Voting Rights Act Unpacked," March 22, 2023
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