Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
A voting kiosk
Doña Ana County accounts for roughly 10 percent of New Mexico’s population. During the first couple of days of early voting in the upcoming general election, it accounted for 21 percent of turnout.
That’s especially stunning because Doña Ana County isn’t known as a leader in voter turnout in New Mexico, at least historically. Turnout spiked in the June primaries compared to 2014, the last time the same races were on the ballot, by 59 percent in Doña Ana County, compared to 48 percent in Bernalillo County and 37 percent in Santa Fe County. But that meant 21 percent of voters in Doña Ana County turned out in June, compared to a statewide average of 27.6 percent.
And yet, through mid-afternoon Thursday, 1,778 votes were cast in Doña Ana County. That was roughly 21 percent of the 8,358 ballots cast statewide.
So what’s the cause of the early excitement about the general election in Doña Ana County?
It may not be one single thing. But it’s noteworthy that, for starters, officials in Doña Ana County have been working for years to build a stronger voting culture — which may have helped explain the rise in turnout in the June primaries, and may be contributing to the current spike as well.
It’s also worth considering that the hottest race in New Mexico is the battle to replace Steve Pearce in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Yvette Herrell and Democrat Xochitl Torres Small are statistically tied, according to recent polls. Millions of dollars are being spent on television ads and other media to try to influence the race.
There’s lots of energy and excitement around that contest, especially among Democrats working to recapture the seat for the first time since 2010.
It would make sense that energy is especially high in Doña Ana County. Democrats there have long been frustrated that, even as they’ve taken over nearly every elected office in the Las Cruces area in the last decade, they haven’t built enough power to take control of the GOP-leaning 2nd Congressional District, which also includes conservative southeastern New Mexico.
There are also hotly contested races for county commission, sheriff and Public Regulation Commission in Doña Ana County. And the same Las Cruces-area Democrats who haven’t been able to unseat Pearce in past congressional races are energized to make sure he loses the governor’s race to Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham.
As of Sept. 28, 46 percent of registered voters in Doña Ana County were Democrats, 26.3 percent were Republicans, 26 percent were independents, and the rest were Libertarians or members of minor parties. But Democrats account for 57 percent of early votes cast in the county thus far. Republicans account for 30 percent, and independents account for about 12 percent.
In other words, there’s high energy among both Democrats and Republicans in Doña Ana County — but it’s even higher, at least early on, among Democrats. That could be good for Torres Small, if it continues.
Early voting started Tuesday. Trends may change. Time will tell.
Currently, there’s one voting center open in each county. In Doña Ana County, it’s at the county government building, located at 845 North Motel Boulevard in Las Cruces. Additional voting sites open on Oct. 20. Nov. 6 is Election Day.