Absentee Voting by Mail | Maggie Toulouse Oliver – New Mexico Secretary of State

request an absentee ballot

Request an absentee ballot by completing an application and returning it to your local county clerk. applications can be obtained through:

• Fill out an application online by clicking here
• by contacting your county clerk’s office in person, by phone, by mail, or by email
• downloading an absentee ballot application here and mailing or hand-delivering it to your county clerk’s office

A ballot will be sent to voters who have successfully completed the application. If the request was not successfully completed, a notification will be sent with the reason the request was not accepted within 24 hours of receipt of the request.

To check the status of your leave request, go here or contact the county clerk’s office.

If you do not receive the absentee ballot, contact your county clerk’s office.

• Federal and state laws provide additional options for registering and requesting an absentee ballot for military and overseas voters. visit the Military and Overseas Voter Information page for more details.

what is the deadline to request an absentee ballot?

• The application for an absentee ballot must be received by the county clerk no later than the Thursday immediately preceding the election (section 1-6-5(f), nmsa 1978).
• within twenty-three (23) days of election day, the county clerk must mail the ballot or notice of rejection to the applicant as soon as possible; provided that the ballot or a notice of rejection is mailed no later than twenty-two (22) days before the election (section 1-6-5(f), nmsa 1978).

If I request an absentee ballot and receive it, can I change my mind and vote at my polling place on Election Day?

• yes, but you must execute an affidavit stating that the person did not and will not vote the mail-in ballot that was cast. (section 1-6-16 (a) nmsa 1978

what if I don’t get my absentee ballot?

• if you request, but do not receive the absentee ballot, you may request a replacement absentee ballot by contacting your county clerk and requesting that a replacement mail-in ballot be provided to the voter ; and executes an affidavit and the county clerk has voided the previously issued mail-in ballot to the voter. (Section 1-6-16 (b), NMSA 1978).
• You can also go to your polling place and vote a replacement absentee ballot on Election Day, after signing an affidavit of non-receipt of absentee ballot (section 1-6-16.1(a), nmsa 1978).
• in both cases, you will be required to sign an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that you did not receive your ballot .

who can return the absentee ballot to the county clerk?

• Your immediate family member or caregiver may personally deliver your absentee ballot; provided that the voter has signed the official mailing envelope for the absentee ballot. an unrelated third party may not deliver the absentee ballot to another voter (section 1-6-10.1, nmsa 1978).

when must an absentee ballot be returned to be counted?

• Ballots must be returned to the county clerk or precinct no later than 7:00 p.m. m. on election day to be counted (section 1-6-10 (b), nmsa 1978).

how much does it cost to mail my absentee ballot?

• return postage is prepaid. be sure to return the ballot in plenty of time so it reaches the county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. m. on election day. For more details, log in to the voter information portal.

the outer envelope of my absentee ballot asks for an av registration number. do I need to complete this?

• You can leave that information blank. this information is for internal use only.