Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
A voting kiosk
As expected, the opening of additional polling places in Albuquerque and around New Mexico on Saturday has Bernalillo County now leading the state in turnout.
Through Friday, with one polling place open in each county since Oct. 9, Doña Ana County held the lead in early voting, accounting at some points for more than 20 percent of the state’s turnout, though its population is about 10 percent of New Mexico’s.
But with the opening of new polling places, more than 26,000 New Mexicans voted on Saturday, bringing the total number of people who had already voted in the upcoming Nov. 6 midterm elections to 72,713. (You can view county-level data on early voting through Saturday from the Secretary of State’s Office by clicking here.)
The shift is evidence of the importance of accessible voting locations to turnout. In Las Cruces, a city with just over 100,000 residents who are apparently motivated to vote this year, one voting site meant Doña Ana County led the state in turnout. With the opening of additional sites in and around the much larger city of Albuquerque, turnout shifted heavily to Bernalillo County.
Just under 20,000 early voters thus far are from Bernalillo County. Just under 10,000 are from Doña Ana County. Santa Fe, Sandoval, San Juan and Otero counties are next in turnout, in that order.
One reason for the early lead in Doña Ana County was excitement among Democrats to get out and vote immediately. Such motivated voters are bad news for Republicans. They’re more likely to vote straight-party — and to win statewide races in New Mexico, Republicans need Democratic votes.
Democrats account for 46 percent of registered voters in New Mexico, while Republicans account for 30 percent. Independents account for 22 percent, and Libertarians and others make up about 1.7 percent.
But in early voting thus far, Democrats account for 56 percent of voters. Republicans account for 33 percent, and independents account for just 11 percent.
If history is any guide, Republicans are likely to make up some of the gap between their turnout and that of Democrats between now and Election Day. The percentage of independent voters will increase as well as those who decline to choose a party are forced to make decisions on the ballot with the deadline to vote approaching.
In other words, early voting indicates lots of energy among Democratic voters in New Mexico. There’s a blue wave, but its strength isn’t yet clear.
Early voting continues through Saturday, Nov. 3. Election Day is Nov. 6. You can find information about where and how to vote by clicking here.