Voting & Elections

New Mexico has semi-open primary elections. What is a semi-open primary election?

A primary election is an election held to allow voters to select major party candidates to move on to represent the parties in the general election. Major party voters are qualified to participate in these elections because they have a major party listed on their voter registration. In a “semi-open” primary election, voters who are not registered with a qualified political party may also participate in the election by selecting which major party’s ballot they want to vote on without changing their voter registration.

Who can vote in primary elections in New Mexico?

New Mexico has semi-open primary elections, effective July 1, 2025. This means that:

1. Major party voters may participate in the primary elections of the major party with which they are registered 28 days before Election Day. Once voting has started, voters registered with one major party cannot change the party on their voter registration to vote in the primary elections of another major party.

2. Voters who have not registered with a qualified major or minor party (including “declined-to-state” or “independent” voters) can also participate by selecting a major party’s ballot and vote, without changing the political party on their voter registration.

3. Voters registered with a qualified minor party may update the political party on their voter registration to either a major party (Republican or Democratic) or “Declined-to-State”/Independent before the election or through same day voter registration at a polling location and vote in the primary election.

What are the qualified major and minor political parties in New Mexico?

Learn more about New Mexico’s qualified political parties here.

I don’t remember if I registered with a qualified political party, or I am not sure which political party I registered with. How can I check my voter registration information?

Please visit NMVote.org to review your voter registration status, register to vote, or update your voter registration. Learn more about voter registration eligibility and frequently asked questions here.

I checked and I am registered with a political party that is not a qualified party in New Mexico. Can I still vote in a primary election?

Yes, voters who have not registered with a qualified political party may participate by selecting a major party’s ballot without changing their voter registration.

I am registered with a qualified minor political party. How can I update my voter registration and vote in a primary election?

Voters registered with a qualified minor party must update their voter registration to a major party or to “Declined-to-State” before the election or through same day voter registration at a polling location in order to vote in the primary election.

Please visit NMVote.org to review your voter registration status, register to vote, or update your voter registration. Learn more about voter registration eligibility and frequently asked questions here.

Information on what you need for same-day voter registration, which is available at polling locations prior to voting, is available here.

I’m a voter who is not registered with a qualified political party, and I intend to vote in a primary election without changing my voter registration. Will anyone know which major party primary elections I vote in?

Yes, which party’s ballot you select at the polling location or when you request a mailed ballot is public information. However, unless you share it, only you will know who or what you vote for on your ballot.

What does “Declined-to-state” mean?

“Declined-to-state” is a term used when a person’s voter registration does not show a political party and is often referred to as an independent voter.

I am not registered with a qualified political party. How do I request which major party ballot I want to receive when I am voting in-person?

When you check-in at a voting location, the election worker will ask you which ballot you would like to be issued. The party ballot you chose will not cause a change to your voter registration record.

I am not registered with a qualified political party, and I intend to request a mailed ballot for the primary election. How will I select which ballot I receive?

After April 7, 2026, you can request a mailed ballot online using our portal available at NMVote.org, and you will be provided with the opportunity to select a major party ballot at that time. If you prefer to use a paper application for a mailed ballot, the paper application also has an option for selecting a major party ballot and can be found here.

I am a permanent absentee voter, and I am not registered with a qualified political party. How will I receive a mailed ballot for the primary election?

After April 7, 2026, permanent absentee voters not registered with a qualified political party may choose a major party ballot by selecting a party in the portal available at: https://www.sos.nm.gov/primary.

The party you choose is for a single election only and does not apply to future primary elections. If you do not select a party by the deadline to request a mailed ballot, you will not be sent a primary election ballot. The mailed ballot request deadline is 14 days prior to Election Day.

IMPORTANT: This link is only for voters currently on the permanent absentee list, voters living temporarily overseas, and voters who live in mail-ballot only precincts.