| October 7, 2008: |
Voter registration closes. Applications must be received by
5:00 p.m. in the County Clerk's office. |
| October 7 - 31, 2008: |
Absentee ballots mailed out.
|
| October 7 - November 4, 2008: |
In-person absentee voting at County Clerks’ offices during
regular business hours.
|
| October 18 - November 1, 2008: |
Early in-person voting at the alternate sites. In most
jurisdictions, hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 8:00 p.m. and
Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but local variations may exist.
|
| November 4, 2008: |
Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Absentee ballots
must be received by the County Clerk's office by 5:00 p.m. |
CANDIDATES
The League of Women Voters of New Mexico sent questionnaires to the candidates for statewide offices for the 2008 General Election.
Because of space restrictions in the printed versions of this guide, the League pre-advised the candidates of the word limits on responses. For most questions, the word limit was 65 words. If any answer exceeds the stated limit, the extra words are indicated with ellipses. The responses of candidates are printed exactly as received by the League. The League has in no way edited for meaning, grammar, punctuation, or spelling. The League assumes no responsibility for the content of any candidate’s reply.
Statewide offices for which candidates will appear on
the November ballot are
AMENDMENTS and BOND ISSUES
The Voters’ Guide also covers
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What qualifications are required for someone to register to vote in New Mexico?
Voters must be U.S. citizens, must be at least eighteen on or before election day, and must
reside in New Mexico. Application may be made in person or by mail, but note the identification
requirements below for applications made by mail.
What type of identification, if any, must be presented in order to register to vote
in New Mexico?
For mail-in ballots, if the applicant is registering for the first time in New Mexico, the
applicant must submit, together with his completed and signed application form, a copy of
one of the following types of identification showing both the name and the NM address of
the applicant:
- a current and valid photo ID such as a driver's license (note that the DMV can issue
similar IDs to non-drivers)
- a utility bill
- a bank statement
- a government check, paycheck or other government document.
If the applicant has not submitted the required identification before the election, s/he may
be required to do so when voting for the first time, whether in person or absentee.
Currently the identification requirements are not interpreted to apply to applications
collected by third parties, such as the League, but this ruling may yet be appealed.
No identification is required if a voter is merely changing his registration (name,
address and/or party affiliation) within the state of New Mexico.
How will the applicant know that his registration has been accepted?
The applicant should receive a voter registration card from the County Clerk within 15 days.
This card will list the voter's polling place and districting information.
What if the voter arrives at the polls on election day and finds that his name is not on
the list of registered voters?
The voter shall be permitted to vote using a provisional paper ballot provided that
- his residence is within the county in which he offers to vote,
- his name is not on the list of persons submitting absentee ballots, and
- he executes a statement swearing or affirming that to the best of his knowledge he
is a qualified elector, eligible to vote in that county, and that he has not cast a ballot
or voted elsewhere in that election.
Use of a provisional ballot will also be required if the voter did not submit
required identification at the time of registration and does not present identification
to the election judge. (In this case the voter's name may appear on the signature list
but this roster will indicate that identification is required before the voter can cast
a regular ballot.)
