County Clerk Naomi Maestas

COUNTY NEWS

In response to the ongoing public health crisis, the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office is preparing to mail out informational notices to county voters encouraging the use of absentee ballots for the upcoming Primary Election, which is still set to occur on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. In addition, this notice includes information regarding legally mandated precinct boundary adjustments made earlier this year, which may have altered a voter’s precinct assignment; boundary districts did not change. Voters are reminded to please keep an eye out for this important notice and visit the County Clerk webpage to view a detailed map of precincts. 

Citizens who are not yet registered to vote or voters who need to update their registration can do so on-line using the New Mexico Secretary of State’s (NM SOS) portal NMVote.org, or by mail until Tuesday, May 5, 2020. New Mexico is a closed Primary state, in order to participate in the upcoming election, voters must be affiliated with a major political party (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian). The deadline for existing voters to change their party is also Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Same-Day-Voter Registration (SDVR) will be offered in the Clerk’s Office between Tuesday, May 5, 2020 and Saturday, May 30, 2020 for new voters and those needing to update their address. 

With Early/Absentee In-Person voting set to begin on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, for your safety and that of your neighbor, Clerk Maestas is encouraging voters to vote-from-home.

“With the recent New Mexico Supreme Court ruling that the upcoming 2020 Primary Election shall occur status quo amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for your health and safety and that of your neighbor, I strongly encourage voters to please vote from the comfort and security of your home,” advises Clerk Maestas. 

In the coming days, the NM SOS will be mailing absentee ballot applications to all New Mexico voters registered with a major political party (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian), who have not yet requested a ballot. Ahead of this mailing, voters are encouraged to use NMVote.org to verify their mailing address information on file. Voters who would like to vote-from-home can complete the application and return it to the Clerk’s Office at their earliest convenience. Voters can also use NMVote.org to request an absentee ballot or check their application status if they have already submitted a request. 

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, is the first day County Clerks can mail absentee ballots to those eligible New Mexico voters who requested them. A mailed ballot must be requested no later than Thursday, May 28, 2020. 

Clerk Maestas adds, “During this Public Health Emergency, I want our election workers and voters to know, my staff and I are taking every precaution possible to ensure they feel safe and welcomed at each vote center. We are also prepared to handle the influx of absentee ballots we are expecting to receive. While voting may be somewhat different this election cycle, please know we are working hard to ensure your voice is heard and the election process will continue to be completed in a safe, fair, ethical, and transparent manner.” 

For detailed information, please visit our webpage www.losalamosnm.us/clerk and follow our social media outlets to keep abreast of the details of the upcoming 2020 Primary Election. 

If individuals have questions, please call 505-662-8010 or email at clerks@lacnm.us.