In 2015, in accordance with state and federal law, the Doña Ana County Clerk's Office removed approximately 17,000 people from its voter-registration rolls.
The Clerk's Office is reminding people to check their registration status prior to the May 10 deadline to register to vote in the June 7 Primary Elections.
"In several of the primaries around the country, there have been questions about purged voters, and we want everyone in Doña Ana County to be informed and ready to vote," said Chief Deputy Clerk Scott Krahling.
Federal law outlines the process to purge voters from the registration rolls every two years. The process begins when a voter has moved from their physical address, and mail from the state or a county clerk is returned as undeliverable, or the post office notifies the state that a voter no longer resides at that address.
Subsequently, if the same voter does not vote in any elections between the notification and the next general election, the Secretary of State’s office is required to send a postcard to the voter asking them to confirm their registration. If they fail to reply to the postcard and do not vote in the next general election, federal law requires that they are removed from the voter rolls.
"This process could result in someone being removed who didn't intend to be removed," Krahling said. "I encourage anyone who has moved and not voted in any elections from 2012 until now to check your registration status.”
To check if you are a current active voter in Dona Ana county, go to www.dacelections.com or call the County Clerk’s office at (575) 647-7428.
The deadline to register for the primary election is May 10, 2016. People can register to vote online atwww.dacelections.com/ or register in the County Clerk's office at 845 N. Motel Blvd.
State law requires people to register with a major political party, Republican or Democrat, in order to vote in the primary election. The primary election is June 7, 2016.
Information from Doña Ana County