How to Vote in New Mexico's Elections

The Albuquerque mayor and City Council members for Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, as are other local races. Find your City Council district here. Below are some key dates.

Absentee voting

• Tuesday, Oct. 7: First day that absentee ballots are mailed and in-person absentee voting begins at Bernalillo County Clerk’s Annex.
• Tuesday, Oct. 21: Last day to request an absentee ballot.
• Tuesday, Nov. 4: Return absentee ballots to the County Clerk’s Office or any Election Day polling location no later than 7 p.m.

Early Voting

• Saturday, Oct. 18: First day of early voting at the County Clerk's Annex and other voting sites.  
• Saturday, Nov. 1: Last day of early voting. 

Election Day

• Tuesday, Nov. 4: Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Susan Montoya Bryan/AP Photo

A 2023 state law mandates that:

• Same-day registration is offered at every polling place statewide on Election Day. 

• Each county offers at least two ballot drop boxes, although counties can apply to waive this requirement.

• A voluntary permanent absentee voter list be established so voters can automatically receive an absentee ballot before statewide elections if they choose. 

• As part of the state Native American Voting Rights Act, tribes must have access to the same resources for voting as other voters in New Mexico.

• Customers at the state’s Motor Vehicle Division will be automatically registered to vote; that provision of the law became effective July 1, 2025. More on the law — and how to opt out, if you choose — here.

• Online: Register for the first time or make changes to your registration information using the state’s voter portal.

• By mail: Print a registration form that you downloaded online, complete it and mail it to your county clerk’s office.

• In person: Visit your county clerk's office during regular business hours to pick up and return your completed registration form. After regular registration ends, you may participate in same-day registration, where you can complete your registration and vote.

Same-day registration is available at your county clerk's office throughout the early voting period and at every polling location in your county on Election Day. Additional early voting sites also may offer same-day voter registration. Check with your county clerk’s office. 

Bring an acceptable form of ID, such as a New Mexico driver’s license or state ID card or a document displaying your address, along with a photo ID.

Use the state's voter information portal to verify your registration status.

The county clerk must receive your absentee ballot application by Tuesday, Oct. 21.

• Online:  Complete the online application form.

• By mail: Print and fill out the absentee ballot application, and then mail it to your county clerk’s office. Absentee ballot requests must be received 14 days before an election. But you’re encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

• In person: Visit your county clerk’s office to request an application in person. You can also print and complete the absentee ballot application, then deliver it to your county clerk’s office. 

• By phone: Call your county clerk’s office to request an application.

Open your envelope and read the instructions written on the yellow paper inside. Fill out your ballot, fold your ballot and put it in the inner envelope. Then, put the inner envelope into the outer envelope. Seal and sign the outer envelope and return it:

• By mail: Send your ballot to your county clerk’s office. It must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Bernalillo County election officials said that Tuesday, Oct. 21, was the last recommended day to mail an absentee ballot back to them. After that date, absentee ballots should be hand-delivered to ensure timely arrival.

• In person: Hand-deliver your ballot to your county clerk’s office, any early voting location or Election Day polling place in your county, or a secure drop box. Find voting locations and their operating days and hours via the state's voter portal. Check with your county clerk’s office for drop box locations and operating days and hours. Ballots must be submitted by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Track your absentee ballot through the state’s Ballot Scout portal.

Early voting runs from Tuesday, Oct. 7, through Saturday, Nov. 1. Find early voting locations and operating hours via the state’s voter portal or by contacting your county clerk’s office.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4. Find polling locations via the state’s voter portal.

Sample ballots are also available on the state’s voter portal.

Voter identification is only required for same-day registration and first-time New Mexico voters who completed their registration by mail and did not submit identification with their form.

For same-day registration, bring a New Mexico driver’s license or state ID card, or a document displaying your address in the county, along with a photo ID. If you are a first-time voter who did not submit identification with your registration by mail, bring a valid photo ID, current utility bill, bank statement or document displaying your name and address.

People with a disability may vote using an absentee ballot, which can be delivered to the county clerk’s office in person or by mail by a voter’s caregiver or member of their immediate family. Those in a nursing home or long-term care facility may also use this option.

If you have a visual impairment, you may request a special absentee ballot. You may request assistance at a polling station or use an accessible voting machine. For more information, visit the elections website.

Accessible voting machines are available at every polling station.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published Jan. 29, 2024. It was most recently updated on Aug. 22, 2025, to reflect information on 2025 local elections.

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