# Individual Voters: Registration and Voting Essentials All information is from official New Mexico statutes or the New Mexico Secretary of State. ## Registering to vote ### Important dates: Registration deadlines October 6, 2026 (by mail or online prior to the election) November 3, 2026 (in person, same day) ### No minimum residency requirement As soon as you become a resident of New Mexico you may register to vote. ### You must be a U.S. citizen to vote in New Mexico ### Before you register to vote, see if you are already registered Check whether you are already registered to vote in New Mexico, using this [online tool](https://voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us/WhereToVote.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) from the New Mexico Secretary of State. You can also get to the tool by going to [NMVote.org](https://www.nmvote.gov/) and clicking on the link in the box that says "Find My Registration & Election Info." ### Use one of the following four methods to register to vote #### [Register online](https://portal1.sos.nm.gov/OVR/WebPages/InstructionsStep1.aspx) Information you will need: - Your New Mexico Driver's License ID Number and the last four numbers of your social security number **OR** - Your state ID number and full social security number **Note**: If you do not have a NM driver's license or NM issued state ID, you must register in person before or during the election or use the mail to register before the election. #### Register in person Contact your County Clerk to find out when and where to register. Information you will need: - Your full name - Your address (if you have filed for a protective order due to domestic violence, you must show it to the voter registration official who can refer you to the state's confidential address program) - Your date of birth - Your Social Security Number or New Mexico's Driver's License ID Number #### Register by mail ##### Get a voter registration form to fill out Download a [blank mail-in voter registration form,](https://www.sos.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/VoterReg_SHELL_2023_ENG.pdf) print it, and mail it or return by hand to the County Clerk in your county. Include in the envelope the physical copies of your identification document. The form is available [en Español](https://www.sos.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VoterReg_2026_SPAN.pdf). You can also get a form at your County Clerk's office. ##### To complete the form: 1. Fill in the last four digits of your social security number **OR** your full New Mexico's Driver's License or State ID Number. 2. Send a physical copy of: - **EITHER** a photo identification issued by a government or educational institution - **OR** a 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 name and current address of the applicant. **Note**: If you register by mail and do not submit the physical copies, you will be required to do so when you vote. #### Register same day at a polling place You must sign a document attesting that you have not voted already in the election. You must provide a physical form of identification that: - is issued by the federal government, a state government, a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or pueblo or an educational institution. - contains your name as it will appear in your voter registration. - contains your photograph. You will also need to prove that the address you are using to register to vote belongs to you. If your photo identification has that address, you may use it. But if it does not, you must have a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other document issued by an educational institution or government (including a tribal or pueblo government). This document must be dated within 90 days prior to the date of the election and include your name. The name and address on the document must match the name and address you are using to register to vote. Even if your photo id has your address, it is advisable to bring a copy of one of these documents, in case you are asked for it. **Note**: if you are registering at a location that does not have real-time synchronization with the County Clerk's Office, you will be issued a provisional paper ballot. Use this to vote. ### [Personalized further registration information](https://voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us/WhereToVote.aspx) Use the above link to view: - Your voter registration information - Your county clerk contact information - Find out where there are Same-Day Registration polling locations ## Voting ### Identification requirements - If you have already registered to vote, you do not have to present identification to vote in a statewide election. You will be asked to give your name, date of birth, and registered address. - If you are registering to vote on the same day you are voting, see above "Register Same Day at a Polling Place". - If you registered by mail but did not include the copies of your identification you will need to supply them when you vote in person. See above "Register by Mail." ### [Search Voting Location Data](https://voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us/WhereToVoteAddress.aspx) Use the above link to: - Enter a street number and zip code to find data on the voting location that is nearest to a specific address ### [Absentee and Early Voting](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/absentee-and-early-voting/) Use the above link to: - Get information from the Secretary of State #### [Request an Absentee Ballot Online](https://portal1.sos.nm.gov/OVR/WebPages/AbsenteeApplication.aspx) - Click [HERE](https://portal1.sos.nm.gov/OVR/WebPages/AbsenteeApplication.aspx) to request an absentee ballot for an upcoming election. - Click [HERE](https://app.enhancedvoting.com/voter/newmexico/bt/track) if you have already requested an absentee ballot and want to track it. - Click [HERE](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/absentee-and-early-voting/) to learn more about the permanent absentee voter list. ##### Steps to Ensure Your Absentee Ballot Is Counted ###### 1. **Request Your Absentee Ballot by the Deadline** - **Deadline:** Your application must be **received** by your County Clerk's office by **Tuesday, October 20, 2026**(14 days before Election Day). **Important:** The application must be _received_ by the deadline, not just postmarked. - **Method options:** - Online through the NM Secretary of State's portal at **NMVote.org** (requires NM driver's license or state ID) - Download and mail a paper application - Call, email, or visit your County Clerk's office to request a paper application - In person at your County Clerk's office ###### 2. **Wait for Your Ballot to Arrive** - County Clerks begin mailing absentee ballots **28 days before Election Day** (starting **October 6, 2026**) - Allow time for postal delivery to you and for your completed ballot to return - If requesting within 14 days of Election Day, you're encouraged to request in person rather than by mail --- ###### 3. **Complete the Ballot Carefully** - Follow all instructions on the official return envelope - Fill in all required voter information under the privacy flap - Sign the official return envelope — **this is required** - Ensure your signature matches your voter registration record --- ###### 4. **Return Your Ballot by the Deadline** - **Deadline:** Your voted ballot must be **RECEIVED** by **7:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026** - This is a **receipt deadline**, not a postmark deadline **Return options (choose one):** - **Mail it back** — Recommended to mail no later than **one week before Election Day** (by October 27, 2026) to ensure timely delivery - **Drop off at your County Clerk's office** - **Deliver to any Election Day polling location** in your county - **Use an official secure ballot drop box** in your county **Sources:** [NM SOS – Returning Your Absentee Ballot](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/returning-your-absentee-ballot); [Bernalillo County Clerk](https://www.berncoclerk.gov/elections/absentee-voting); [Vote411.org](https://www.vote411.org/new-mexico) --- ###### 5. **Track Your Ballot Status** - Use the **NM Vote Portal** (NMVote.org) to check the status of your ballot - Or call your local County Clerk's office to inquire about ballot receipt and acceptance - Tracking will show whether: - Your ballot was received by the County Clerk - Your ballot has been accepted (signature verification passed) **Source:** [NM SOS – Ballot Tracking](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/returning-your-absentee-ballot) --- ###### 6. **Know Who Can Return Your Ballot** Per New Mexico state law, only the following people may deliver your absentee ballot: - **You** (the voter) - **Your caregiver** - **Your immediate family** (spouse, children, parents, or siblings) If someone else returns the ballot on your behalf, they must sign the official return envelope. **Source:** [NM SOS – Returning Your Absentee Ballot](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/returning-your-absentee-ballot) --- ###### 7. **Special Circumstances to Note** **First-Time Voters:** - If you're a first-time voter who registered by mail and did not include proof of identity with your registration, you'll need to bring identification when returning your absentee ballot in person - Accepted ID: NM driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, tribal ID, utility bill, bank statement, or government document showing your name and address **Signature Mismatch:** - If your signature doesn't match your voter registration, your ballot may be rejected - You have the opportunity to cure a signature mismatch if notified by the County Clerk **Permanent Absentee List:** - You can opt-in to be automatically sent an absentee ballot for every statewide election - This requires checking a box on your registration form or the online portal during "Step 4 – Ballot Delivery Method" - You can be removed from this list at any time by contacting your County Clerk ### Voters With Special Needs - ##### [Military and Overseas Voting](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/military-and-overseas-voting/) - ##### [Voters with Disabilities](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/voters-with-disabilities/) ### Additional helpful resources #### [County Clerks](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal/county-clerk-information/) Use the above link to: - Find Your local County Clerk #### [Rumor vs. Reality](https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/rumor-vs-reality/): Use the above link to: - Fact check information about voting and elections in New Mexico