2017 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 1 - Elections
Article 6 - Absentee Voting
Section 1-6-5.7 - Early voting; use of absentee voting procedures; alternate voting locations.

1-6-5.7. Early voting; use of absentee voting procedures; alternate voting locations.

A. Commencing on the third Saturday prior to an election and ending on the Saturday immediately preceding the election, an early voter may vote in person on a voting system at an alternate voting location established by the county clerk.

B. Early voting shall be conducted in each office of the county clerk and at such alternate voting locations as may be established by the county clerk, provided that the county clerk shall establish:

(1) in counties with more than ten thousand voters, not fewer than one alternate voting location;

(2) in counties with more than fifty thousand voters, not fewer than four alternate voting locations; and

(3) in counties with more than two hundred fifty thousand voters, not fewer than fifteen alternate voting locations.

C. Not later than ninety days before each primary and general election, the county clerk shall publicly fix the hours of operation for alternate voting locations in the county, which shall open no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and shall close no later than 9:00 p.m. Within ninety days of a primary or general election, a county clerk may modify the hours of operation of alternate voting locations with the written approval of the secretary of state. Alternate voting locations shall be open each day of early voting for at least eight consecutive hours. Alternate voting locations may be closed Sundays and Mondays during the early voting period.

D. Each alternate voting location shall comply with the following provisions, unless the county clerk receives a written waiver from the secretary of state specifying the location and specific provision being waived:

(1) have ballots available for voters from every precinct in the county;

(2) have at least one optical scan tabulator programmed to read every ballot style in the county;

(3) have at least one voting system available to assist disabled voters to cast and record their votes;

(4) have a broadband internet connection;

(5) have sufficient spaces for at least five voters to simultaneously and privately mark their ballots, with at least one of those spaces wheelchair-accessible;

(6) have a secure area for storage of pre-printed ballots or for storage of a paper ballot stock and a system designed to print ballots at a polling location; and

(7) be in a location that is accessible and compliant with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

E. When voting early, the voter shall provide the required voter identification to the county clerk or the clerk's authorized representative. If the voter does not provide the required voter identification, the voter shall be allowed to vote on a provisional ballot. If the voter provides the required identification, the voter shall be allowed to vote after subscribing an application to vote on a form approved by the secretary of state. The county clerk or the clerk's authorized representative shall make an appropriate designation on the signature roster or register next to the voter's name indicating that the voter has voted early.

History: Laws 2005, ch. 270, 40; 2009, ch. 251, 8; 2011, ch. 137, 42.