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Primary Election Deadlines Approach; 17 year-olds Voting For First Time In New Mexico

  SANTA FE—The last day for eligible New Mexicans to register to vote in the June 7th Primary Election is May 10th, according to Secretary of State Brad Winter. The office is encouraging eligible voters to register prior to the deadline, after which county clerks finalize their voter rolls for New Mexico’s closed primary elections, in which registered Republicans and Democrats will choose their nominees for the November General Election.

Thanks to a new online voter registration system approved by the Legislature and developed by the Office of the Secretary of State, eligible citizens with a current or expired New Mexico driver’s license or state ID can submit or update their voter registration from the web by visiting the Online Voter Registration page on the Secretary of State’s website. The online system is available in both English and Spanish, and is accessible to applicants with visual impairments. Eligible New Mexicans can also register in-person at any Motor Vehicle Division office or county clerk’s office.  You may also call the Secretary of State at 505-827-3600 and request a voter registration form be mailed to you. The secretary has also developed guidelines for eligible 17 year-olds to participate in this year’s primary election. House Bill 138, approved by the Legislature earlier this year, allows 17 year-olds who will be 18 by the time of the November general election to participate in primary elections. Like all eligible voters, eligible 17 year-olds are required to register prior to the May 10th deadline and be registered with one of the two major parties in order to participate.

“We want New Mexicans to have access to efficient, transparent and accessible elections,” said Secretary Winter. “Letting folks know when and how to register is the first step in conducting fair and open elections. That’s what the people of this state deserve, and that’s what we work to do, alongside each county clerk’s office, every single day.”

The online voter registration system and more information about the 2016 Primary and General Elections, as well as 17 year-old eligibility, can be found atwww.sos.state.nm.us.