FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 July 2025
Contacts:
Alex Curtas
Director of Communications
New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office
505-469-2783
alex.curtas@sos.nm.gov
Bobbie Marquez
Acting – Director of Communications/Public Information Officer
New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department
bobbiej.marquez@tax.nm.gov
505-469-5830
Successful Launch of Automatic Voter Registration Sees Thousands of New Mexico Voters Registered in First Week
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, in coordination with the Taxation and Revenue Department’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), is proud to announce the successful implementation of automatic voter registration (AVR) at all MVD locations across the state. This landmark initiative went into effect on July 1, 2025, and is already helping thousands of eligible New Mexicans register to vote.
“This is a major step forward for voter access and election modernization in New Mexico,” said Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. “AVR makes voter registration faster, more accurate, and more secure. By reducing paperwork and ensuring more eligible voters are on the rolls, we’re saving taxpayer money and making our democracy more accessible, all while keeping New Mexico’s best-in-the-nation elections safe and secure.”
Prior to July 1, 2025, customers at New Mexico MVD locations were offered the opportunity to register to vote or make updates to their voter information during their transaction. Now, eligible customers will be automatically registered to vote when they renew or apply for a New Mexico driver’s license or other credential. Existing voter registrations are updated when customers change their name or address at the MVD.
Since the AVR implementation on July 1, 8,487 New Mexicans have already been registered to vote, or had their registration updated, through AVR at MVD offices statewide.
Customers who are not eligible to vote under New Mexico law (for example, individuals who are not U.S. citizens or not yet 18 years old) are automatically screened out of the process and will not be registered. Eligible voters who complete the voter registration process will receive a follow-up mailer from their county clerk with instructions on how to change their political affiliation or opt out of being registered, if they choose to do so.
“Modernizing government services is a key priority for our department, and AVR is a perfect example of technology enhancing the customer experience.” said Stephanie Schardin Clarke, New Mexico Secretary of Taxation and Revenue “We’re proud to partner with the Secretary of State’s Office to implement this efficient and secure solution.”
Automatic voter registration is one of several voter access improvements passed as part of the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, signed into law in 2023. New Mexico joins more than two dozen other states and Washington, D.C. in adopting some form of automatic voter registration. Early successes in states like Minnesota have demonstrated the wide-reaching benefits of AVR, including shorter lines at polling places, increased registration accuracy, and improved access for historically underrepresented communities.
The Secretary of State’s Office and MVD have implemented strong safeguards to ensure that only eligible individuals are registered to vote. To qualify, a customer must:
- Be a United States citizen
- Be a resident of New Mexico
- Be at least 18 years old by the next election
Customers who do not meet these criteria are not eligible to vote and will not be registered during their MVD transaction.
More information about automatic voter registration in New Mexico can be found on the Secretary of State’s website here: sos.nm.gov/avr
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