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New Mexico state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 20 - Nov. 3
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 New Mexico State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | June 5, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for seats in the New Mexico House of Representatives were on June 5, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in New Mexico, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 13, 2018. In the state House, all 70 seats were up for election. No Senate seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Six Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election.
- Sarah Maestas Barnes (District 15)
- Gregg Schmedes (District 22)
- Nathaniel Gentry (District 33)
- Yvette Herrell (District 51)
- Bob Wooley (District 66)
- Dennis Roch (District 67)
Competitiveness
There were eight open seats in 2018, which was equal to the number of open seats in 2016 and less than the 11 open seats in 2014. The 13 contested Democratic primaries was down from 24 in 2016 but up from 12 in 2014. The 4 contested Republican primaries was down from 6 in 2016 and 2014. The 70 candidates running was up down 112 in 2016 and equal to the total number of candidates that ran in 2014.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 70 | 8 | 123 | 13 | 4 | 12.1% | 10 | 16.1% |
| 2016 | 112 | 8 | 200 | 24 | 6 | 13.4% | 9 | 8.7% |
| 2014 | 70 | 11 | 125 | 12 | 6 | 12.9% | 7 | 11.9% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico State Senate as of June 2018:
New Mexico House of Representatives
| Party | As of June 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 38 | |
| Republican Party | 32 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | |
New Mexico State Senate
| Party | As of June 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 26 | |
| Republican Party | 16 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 42 | |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Mexico utilizes a semi-closed primary process; participation in each party's primary is limited to registered party members and unaffiliated voters.[1][2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll 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.[5][6]
Registration requirements
- 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.[7]
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. 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, which includes 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.[7]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
New Mexico has automatic voter registration. Eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they interact with a department of motor vehicles unless they opt out.[8][9]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
New Mexico has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
New Mexico allows same-day voter registration.[10]
Residency requirements
In New Mexico, individuals can register to vote as soon as they become residents of the state.[11]
Verification of citizenship
New Mexico does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.[12]
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.[13] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. 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.[14]
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:[15]
- 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
New Mexico permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in New Mexico. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[16]
The county clerk must receive the absentee ballot application no later than the 14th day before the election. A voter may request an absentee ballot by filling out and returning an application form, or by completing an online application. 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.[16][17]
See also
- New Mexico state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2018
- New Mexico State Legislature
- New Mexico elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ New Mexico Legislature, "2025 Regular Session - SB 16," accessed June 20, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "FAQs for Primary & General Election Candidacy," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 12.1," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voter Bill of Rights," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, “Voter Registration Information,” accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.2", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.8", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.7", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Eligibility Requirements and FAQs," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ The State of New Mexico, "Voter Registration Form," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Congress, "H.R.3295 - Help America Vote Act of 2002," accessed September 30, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voting," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting by Mail," accessed June 24, 2025
