New Mexico

Election Day: Polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day, or until the last person in line at 7:00 p.m. has voted.

Early in-person voting begins 28 days before Election Day (October 11, 2022) and ends on the Saturday before Election Day (November 5, 2022). Some counties may offer expanded early voting hours; voters may access county-specific information here.
Absentee votes returned by mail must be received by the county clerk or voter’s precinct by 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day.

Polling Place Identification: Voters may vote at any polling location in the county where they are registered to vote.  New Mexico voters can locate their polling place via the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Polling Location Finder tool.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in New Mexico if you:

• Are a U.S citizen
• Are a resident of New Mexico
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in New Mexico if:

• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.
• You are currently serving a sentence including incarceration, parole, probation, or extended supervision for a felony conviction

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you have been pardoned, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote

You may preregister to vote in New Mexico

• if you will be 18 by Election Day

How to register 

New Mexico residents who have a state-issued ID may register to vote online via the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website. Registered voters may also update their registration online if their names or addresses have changed. Individuals registering to vote online will be required to provide their date of birth, driver license or state ID number, and Social Security number.

Residents may also choose to register to vote via mail by completing a paper form (English)/paper form (Spanish) and returning it to their local county clerk (addresses). Individuals pre-registering to vote via mail will be required to include a photo copy of a photo ID issued by the government or an educational institution, or a utility bill, bank statement, or other formal document showing the individual’s name and address in the county. This documentation must either be included with the mailed registration form, or brought with the individual to the polling place on Election Day.

Voters will be issued a provisional ballot if they are a first time voter who registered by mail and do not provide the required identification.

Individuals may pre-register to vote until 5:00 p.m. on the 28^th day immediately preceding Election Day, October 11, 2022.

Same-day Registration(SDR) is also available for New Mexico residents.  Voters can register to vote or update existing registration and vote on the same day at their County Clerk’s Office. Some County Clerks will offer additional same day voter registration locations at expanded early voting sites.  To find the nearest early voting location offering SDR, go here.

To utilize SDR, voters need to bring one of the following:

(1) a New Mexico driver’s license or New Mexico identification card issued through the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department;

(2) any document that contains an address in the county together with a photo identification card; or

(3) a current valid student photo identification card from a post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico accompanied by a current student fee statement that contains the student’s address in the county.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• By Fax
• Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Requesting an Absentee Ballot: Voters may request an absentee ballot online via the New Mexico Secretary of State’s application tool. Voters may also contact their county clerk’s office directly to request an absentee ballot. Voters may also download an absentee ballot application and mail it or hand deliver it to their county clerk’s office. The county clerk must receive the application for an absentee ballot no later than the Thursday immediately prior to Election Day: November 3, 2022.

Returning an Absentee Ballot: Ballots must be returned to the county clerk or voter’s precinct by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. If a voter applies for and receives an absentee ballot but decides to vote in-person at their polling police on Election Day, they must execute an affidavit stating that the person did not and will not vote the mailed ballot that was issued.
In-Person Early Voting: Voters may also vote earlier in-person. Voters may go to their county clerk’s office beginning the 28^th day before Election Day (October 11, 2022) and vote. Some counties offer expanded early voting beginning on the third Saturday before Election Day (October 22, 2022); more information is available here or voters can contact their county clerk for locations, dates, and hours of operation. Early voting ends the Saturday before Election Day (November 5, 2022).

Voter Registration

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Valid Tribal ID
• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
• Valid Student ID
• Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address

You can alternatively show one of these documents when you vote to complete your registration. If you want to start your registration AND vote on the same day, you will need one of the following: a New Mexico drivers license, an id card from the motor vehicle division of the tax and revenue department, a document with your current address together with a photo id, or a current valid student id from a New Mexico post-secondary educational institution together with a free statement that has your current address.

Voting In-Person

Physical id is only required for first time voters who registered by mail and didn’t include id. You can show id from the above list. Some municipalities, such as the City of Rio Rancho, may require id for city elections (not state or federal elections). Contact your County Clerk’s Office for details.

Voter Registration: Individuals registering to vote online will need a current or expired New Mexico state I.D., including a driver’s license or state I.D. card. Individuals who do not have a New Mexico state I.D. may register to vote via mail. Individuals registering to vote for the first time via mail must submit with the form a copy of (1) a current and valid photo identification; or (2) a current utility bill, bank statements, government check, paycheck, or student identification card or other government document. Individuals registering by mail for the first time will be required to present one of the forms of identification when voting in person or absentee if they do not include them with the mailed-in registration form.

To utilize Same Day Registration in person at the county clerk’s office or at any polling place in the voter’s county on Election Day, voters need to bring one of the following:

(1) a New Mexico driver’s license or New Mexico identification card issued through the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department;

(2) any document that contains an address in the county together with a photo identification card; or

(3) a current valid student photo identification card from a post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico accompanied by a current student fee statement that contains the student’s address in the county.

Voter I.D. Requirements: Most New Mexico voters are not required to present identification to vote. However, ifan individual registered to vote for the first time via mail and did not include identification with the mailing, they must present (1) a current and valid photo identification; or (2) a current utility bill, bank statements, government check, paycheck, or student identification card or other government document when they vote (whether in person or absentee).

Voters can cast a provisional ballot if they are a first time voter who registered by mail and do not provide the required identification.

Some municipal jurisdictions in New Mexico have ordinances in place that require voter id be presented to vote in city elections. 

Updating Voter Registration: Registered voters must update their registration if their names or addresses have changed. Voters may update their registration online via the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website at least 28 days before Election Day. Voters may also update their registration via mailed paper form, returned to their local county clerk’s office and postmarked at least 28 days before Election Day. 

Voters may also update their registration in person at their county clerk’s office or at any polling location in their county on Election Day using the process for Same Day Registration. Voters need to bring one of the following:

(1) a New Mexico driver’s license or New Mexico identification card issued through the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department;

(2) any document that contains an address in the county together with a photo identification card; or

(3) a current valid student photo identification card from a post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico accompanied by a current student fee statement that contains the student’s address in the county.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Complete Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Complete Social Security Number

Military and Overseas Voter Registration: Individuals residing outside the United States may vote in New Mexico if New Mexico was the last place they lived before moving outside the United States. An individual residing outside the United States may also vote in New Mexico even if they have never resided in New Mexico if they were born to parents whose last U.S. residence was New Mexico. Eligible individuals residing outside the United States may register to vote via the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website if they have a current or expired New Mexico-issued driver’s license or state I.D. card. Individuals can also register via mail or via a Federal Post Card Application, either via mail or email to the local county clerk’s office. If an individual is unsure which county to send an application to, they may send it to the New Mexico Secretary of State for routing.  Individuals may also register using the declaration accompanying a federal write-in ballot with an army post office, fleet post office, diplomatic post office, or other overseas mailing address and mail it to the county clerk where the voter last resided in New Mexico.

Individuals in the military or residing outside of the United States must register to vote at least 28 days before Election Day (by October 11, 2022).  

Individuals in the military or residing outside of the United States who are already registered to vote in New Mexico may complete a Federal Post Card Application or a New Mexico Absentee Ballot Application to receive a ballot.  

Military and Overseas Voting: Voters in the military or residing outside of the United States may choose to have their ballot sent to them via mail, email, or fax. Voters are then able to return their ballot via mail, email, or fax provided that (1) the ballot is received in the county clerk’s office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day; (2) the voter signs an affidavit waiving the right of secrecy of their ballot; and (3) the federal qualified elector transmits the affidavit with the military-overseas ballot.
Military and Overseas voting information can be found at https://portal.sos.state.nm.us/OVR/WebPages/MilitaryDoc.aspx

Individuals convicted of misdemeanors remain eligible to vote, even if they are currently incarcerated.  Voters who are incarcerated may register to vote and request an absentee ballot by mail.

Individuals who have been convicted of a felony can register to vote once they have completed the court-ordered sentence of imprisonment, including any term of parole or probation for the conviction. This includes federal, state, and out-of-state convictions. A voter’s right to vote is automatically restored once they complete their full sentence.  Individuals may contact the New Mexico Department of Corrections, Division of Parole and Probation at (505) 827-8830 if they have questions about their eligibility to vote following a felony conviction.