Poll times
In New Mexico, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day.[1] Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Registration
- 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, at least 18 years old by the time of the next election, and not denied the right to vote due to a finding of mental incapacity. 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.[3]
Potential New Mexico voters who were not registered automatically may use the New Mexico voter registration form, the national voter registration form, or the state's online voter registration portal to register. The registration deadline is 28 days before an election, though same-day voter registration is available.[4]
Completed registration materials may be mailed or delivered by hand to election officials. To register online, an applicant must have a state-issued ID. First-time applicants registering by mail must attach a valid form of identification to their registration materials. Acceptable forms of identification include a current and valid photo identification or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card, or other government document, including tribal IDs, that show the voter's name and current address.[3]
- See also: Automatic voter registration
New Mexico has automatic voter registration. Eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they apply for or renew a driver's license, or apply for an ID card, unless they opt out.[5]
- See also: Online voter registration
New Mexico has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
- See also: Same-day voter registration
New Mexico allows same-day voter registration.[6]
Residency requirements
In New Mexico, individuals can register to vote as soon as they become residents of the state.[3]
Verification of citizenship
- See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States
New Mexico does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must swear or affirm that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.[7]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Six states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Two states, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
New Mexico does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases.
The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[9]
These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.
Voters in New Mexico can present the following forms of identification:[10]
- 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. 
