By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. and New Mexico Political Report— Nearly 19,000 unaffiliated New Mexico voters cast ballots before Election Day in the state’s first semi-open primary — and they chose Democratic ballots over Republican ones by a roughly 3-to-1 margin. Election Day brought more. Another 2,633 unaffiliated voters have headed to the polls in the first three hours after polls opened at 7 a.m., adding to a statewide morning total of 23,605 ballots cast across all party registrations by 10 a.m.
Non-partisan voters accounted for about 13% of the total early and absentee ballots cast in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, just over 7% of early/absentee votes were cast in the primary. There were 232 votes cast for other parties statewide during early voting.
A total of 18,819 voters registered as Decline to State (DTS) or Other participated during the absentee and early in-person voting periods, according to New Mexico Secretary of State data. Of the 21,441 unaffiliated voters who had cast ballots through 10 a.m. Tuesday — combining early votes with the morning’s turnout — 76.3% chose a Democratic ballot and 23.7% chose a Republican ballot.The semi-open primary system, new this cycle, allows voters registered without a party affiliation to request a major-party ballot without re-registering. Previously, unaffiliated voters could not participate in New Mexico’s partisan primaries.
Sandoval County
As of 10 a.m., the county has recorded 18,196 total votes cast, adding 1,741 new in-person ballots to the 16,303 that came in during early and absentee voting. Those numbers will continue to climb throughout the day.
Democrats lead the county with 9,482 ballots cast (52.1%), followed by Republicans at 6,532 (35.9%). Voters registered as Decline to State or other unaffiliated have cast 2,182 ballots (12.0%). An additional 369 voters have used same-day registration across both the early voting period (169) and Election Day so far (200).
In Sandoval County, about 68% of DTS and other unaffiliated voters who have participated so far chose the Democratic primary; 32% chose the Republican primary.
Find Sandoval County polling places here.
Bernalillo County
As of 10 a.m., the county has recorded 76,867 total votes cast, adding 6,492 new in-person ballots to the 70,375 that came in during early and absentee voting. Those numbers will continue to climb throughout the day.
Democrats lead the county with 48,073 ballots cast (62.5%), followed by Republicans at 19,917 (25.9%). Voters registered as Decline to State or other unaffiliated have cast 8,877 ballots (11.5%).
In Bernalillo County, about 83% of DTS and other unaffiliated voters who have participated so far chose the Democratic primary; 17% chose the Republican primary.
Find Bernalillo County polling places here.
Torrance County
As of 10 a.m., Torrance County has recorded 1,520 total votes cast, adding 331 new in-person ballots to the 1,189 that came in during early and absentee voting.
Republicans lead the county with 846 ballots cast (55.7%), followed by Democrats at 531 (34.9%). Voters registered as Decline to State or other unaffiliated have cast 143 ballots (9.4%).
In Torrance County, about 57% of DTS and other unaffiliated voters who have participated so far chose the Democratic primary; 43% chose the Republican primary.
Find Torrance County polling places here.
Santa Fe County
As of 10 a.m., the county has recorded 22,848 total votes cast, adding 2,729 new in-person ballots to the 20,119 that came in during early and absentee voting.
Democrats lead the county with 18,222 ballots cast (79.8%), followed by Republicans at 2,295 (10.0%). Voters registered as Decline to State or other unaffiliated have cast 2,331 ballots (10.2%).
In Santa Fe County, about 88% of DTS and other unaffiliated voters who have participated so far chose the Democratic primary; 12% chose the Republican primary.
Find Santa Fe County polling places here.