Turnout appears to be light across much of the state

Voter turnout in today’s primary race appears to be light for Democrats and Republicans throughout much of New Mexico.

“I think voter participation in San Juan County will be minimal,” San Juan County Clerk Fran Hanhardt told the Associated Press. “I’d love to eat those words. I wouldn’t even require any salt and pepper.”

Even in Chaves County — where Republicans get to vote in hotly contested primaries in the U.S. Senate and 2nd Congressional District races and two state legislative primaries — there were no morning lines at polling sites.

“It’s kind of like throwing a party and no one shows up,” Chaves County Clerk Rhoda Coakley told the news service. “We’ll be doing good if we get 25 percent.”

And the New Mexico Independent is reporting that turnout is light in Rio Rancho.

Multiple sources tell me voter turnout is very low for Democrats and Republicans across the 2nd Congressional District. You might think that’s bad for Steve Pearce in the GOP U.S. Senate primary, but it’s only bad for him if turnout is better than that in Heather Wilson’s Bernalillo County.

I’ve been unable to reach anyone with the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Office for comment. Political sources I’ve spoken with say voter turnout there is light to moderate.