Safe at Home

Safe At Home Eligibility & FAQs

ELIGIBILITY

Safe at Home participants are:

  • Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, stalking.
  • Residents of New Mexico who have recently relocated to a place unknown to their abuser/stalker or are planning to move in the near future.

HOW TO APPLY

Survivors who wish to enroll in the Safe At Home Program, must apply to the program by filling out the forms included in the Safe At Home Application Packet while in the presence of an application assistant. An application assistant is a person who works or volunteers for a domestic violence or sexual assault program in New Mexico. The forms must then be notarized by a Notary Public in the presence of the applicant and application assistant. The application assistant will then submit the forms to the Secretary of State’s Office. Before applying, we encourage interested applicants to call the Safe At Home Program at the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-477-3632 for more information.

A parent or guardian may apply to the program on behalf of a minor or incapacitated individual.

Download the Safe at Home application packet here.


PROGRAM PARTICIPANT CERTIFICATION

Once certified, the participant is assigned a substitute address and issued an identification card identifying the individual as a Safe at Home participant. The certification is in effect for three (3) years unless otherwise cancelled before the expiration date.


SUBSTITUTE ADDRESS

The substitute address assigned to a participant has no relation to their actual address.  The address may be used as the participant’s residence, school and work address.  Arrangements are in place with multiple state and local agencies to provide for exceptions to requirements for physical addresses.


IDENTIFICATION CARD

Each participant is issued a laminated identification card that identifies the individual as a program participant. The identification card includes the participant’s name, Safe at Home number, state seal, substitute address, and expiration date. In addition, the identification card contains the Safe at Home toll-free telephone number should questions arise about the program or the valid use of the card. Safe at Home participants must present their card to state and local government agencies for the substitute address to be accepted.


SERVICE OF PROCESS & MAIL

The Secretary of State’s office serves as each participant’s agent for service of process and for receipt of mail. Mail received at the substitute address is forwarded to the program participant. Participants agree to accept all mail forwarded to them by the Safe at Home program.


VOTER REGISTRATION & VOTING

Participation in the Safe at Home program allows eligible voters to apply to vote as an absentee voter. The participant’s confidential address will not appear on any list of registered voters made available to the public. Voter registration requests are deemed a permanent absentee ballot request. After becoming a participant in the program, and having received your signature card, the Secretary of State’s Office acts as the appropriate county clerk for purposes of voter registration. Participants can apply in person at the Secretary of State’s Office or by mailing a voter registration card.

A random identifier and verification code will be issued to the Safe at Home participant prior to an election. The identifier will serve in the place of the required voter identification and the verification code will be used instead of the voter’s signature.

Will any of my personal information be released? No, we will not disclose residential address, delivery address telephone number or email address of a participant unless the information is required to be disclosed pursuant to a court order.

Who will have access to my information? Access to all Safe at Home program records are restricted to Secretary of State staff members who are approved to access the records.

How do I vote?  The voter shall vote exclusively by mailed absentee ballot or mailed ballot. In each election that the voter-participant is eligible to vote, the Secretary of State’s Office (in collaboration with the applicable County Clerk) shall send a mailed absentee ballot or mailed ballot to the voter-participant without requiring a request or application to receive a ballot.


PUBLIC SCHOOLS

When a student presents his or her signature card, the school must accept the substitute address. The student DOES NOT have to disclose his or her actual address.  For new registering students, confirmation of school district’s eligibility is handled by the Safe at Home staff.


PROGRAM CANCELLATION

The Secretary of State may cancel a program participant’s certification for any of the following reasons:

Failure to notify Safe at Home of a change in address seven (7) days prior to moving;

Mail forwarded by Safe at Home is returned undeliverable;

Providing false or incorrect information on the Safe at Home application;

Failure to notify Safe at Home of a name change within seven (7) days.

At the request of the participant


CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS

Program participants’ records are confidential, not subject to the Inspection of Public Records Act, and cannot be released by Safe at Home staff unless pursuant to a court order.

A participant’s residential or delivery address, telephone number and email address that are maintained by an agency are not public records and shall not be disclosed pursuant to the Inspection of Public Records Act while a person is a participant.

Agencies that receive copies of confidential substitute address identification cards submitted pursuant to this section shall use the participant’s confidential substitute address for all purposes.

A school district shall use a participant’s confidential substitute address as the participant’s address of record and, if necessary, shall verify a student’s enrollment eligibility with the Secretary of State.

A county clerk shall transfer all records related to a participant’s voter registration to the Secretary of State pursuant to the provisions of the Intimate Partner Violence Survivor Suffrage Act [1-6C-1 to 1-6C-9 NMSA 1978].


FURTHER RESOURCES

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233

NM Crisis and Access Line 1-855-NMCRISIS (662-7474)

The Allstate Foundation’s domestic violence program (formerly Purple Purse)

New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs 505-883-8020

New Mexico advocacy groups with Safe at Home trained staff:

 

ALAMOGORDO
C.O.P.E., Inc.                                                                      575-434-3622
C.O.P.E., Inc. 24 Hr. Hotline                                            575-437-2673
ALBUQUERQUE
Family Advocacy Center                                                  505-243-2333
Enlace Communitario                                                      505-246-8972
NM Coalition Against DV                                                 505-246-9240
PB&J Family Services                                                       505-877-7060
SAFE House Shelter                                                          505-247-4219
SAFE House Shelter                                                          800-773-3645
SAFE House Rapid Re-Housing                                       505-242-3633
Rape Crisis Center of Central NM                                 505-266-7712
Rape Crisis Center of Central NM 24 Hr. Hotline                    505-266-7711
DVRC (Resource Center)                                                  505-843-9123
DVRC (Resource Center) 24 Hr. Hotline                       505-248-3165
ANTHONY
La Casa, Inc.                                                                       575-882-3008
ARTESIA
Grammy’s House                                                              575-748-1198
BELEN
Valencia Shelter                                                                505-864-1383
Satellite: Los Lunas                                                           505-565-3100
BERNALILLO
PB&J Family Services                                                       505-867-2356
CARLSBAD
Carlsbad Battered Family Shelter                                 575-628-0525
Carlsbad Battered Family Shelter 24 Hr. Hotline         575-885-4615
CHAMA
La Clinica del Pueblo de Rio Arriba                               575-588-7252
CLOVIS
Hartley House                                                                   575-762-0050
Hartley House 24 Hr. Hotline                                          575-769-0305
DEMING
The Healing House                                                           575-546-6539
ESPANOLA
Crisis Center of Northern NM                                         505-753-1656
ESTANCIA
Sanctuary Zone                                                                 505-384-0381
FARMINGTON
Desert View                                                                       505-326-7878
Desert View 24 Hr. Hotline                                             505-947-4471
Family Crisis Center                                                          505-325-3549
Family Crisis Center 24 Hr. Hotline                               505-564-9192
Family Crisis Center 24 Hr. Hotline                               888-440-9192
New Beginnings Navajo United Methodist Center      505-325-7578
GALLUP
Battered Families Services                                              505-722-6389
Battered Families Services 24 Hr. Hotline                                505-722-7483
Battered Families Services 24 Hr. Hotline                                800-722-6389
GRANTS
Roberta’s Place                                                                 505-287-7203
Roberta’s Place                                                                 505-287-7724
HOBBS
Option, Inc.                                                                        575-397-1576
LAS CRUCES
La Casa, Inc.                                                                       575-526-2819
La Casa, Inc. 24 Hr. Hotline                                             575-526-9513
La Casa, Inc. 24 Hr. Hotline                                             800-376-2272
LAS VEGAS
Tri County Family Justice Center                                    505-718-7300
LOS LUNAS
Valencia Shelter                                                                505-565-3100
Valencia Shelter 24 Hr. Hotline                                      505-864-1383
MORIARTY
Torrance County DV Program                                       505-705-0925
PORTALES
Hartley House                                                                   575-365-8541
Hartley House 24 Hr. Hotline                                          575-769-0305
RATON
Alternatives to Violence                                                  575-445-5778
RIO RANCHO
Haven House                                                                     505-404-9365
Haven House 24 Hr. Hotline                                           505-896-4869
Haven House 24 Hr. Hotline                                           800-526-7157
ROSWELL
CASA Program                                                                   575-625-0112
The Roswell Refuge                                                          575-624-3222
The Roswell Refuge                                                          575-627-8361
RUIDOSO
HEAL 575-378-6378
HEAL 24 Hr. Hotline                                                          866-378-6378
C.O.P.E.                                                                               575-258-4946
C.O.P.E. 24 Hr. Hotline                                                     575-437-2673
C.O.P.E. 24 Hr. Hotline                                                     866-350-2673
SAN JUAN
Peacekeepers DV Program                                             505-753-4790
Peacekeepers DV Program                                             800-400-8694
SANTA FE
Esperanza                                                                           505-473-5200
Esperanza                                                                           800-473-5220
Solace Crisis Treatment Center                                      505-988-1951
Colace Crisis Treatment Center 24 Hr. Hotline                        800-721-7273
SILVER CITY
El Refugio                                                                           575-538-2125
El Refugio                                                                           888-538-2125
SOCORRO
El Puente                                                                            575-835-0928
TAOS
Community Against Violence                                         575-758-8082
Community Against Violence 24 Hr. Hotline                575-758-9888
Peace Keepers DV Program                                            505-758-4527
Peace Keepers DV Program 24 Hr. Hotline                  505-753-4790
Peace Keepers DV Program 24 Hr. Hotline                  800-400-8694
TIERRA AMARILLA
La Clinica del Pueblo de Rio Arriba                               575-588-7252
La Clinica del Pueblo de Rio Arriba 24 Hr. Hotline       855-738-3400
T OR C
Domestic Abuse Intervention                                         575-894-3557
Domestic Abuse Intervention                                         800-773-3645
TUCUMCARI
Hartley House                                                                   575-461-4208
Hartley House 24 Hr. Hotline                                          575-769-0305
ZUNI
New Beginnings                                                                505-782-4600

Upcoming Statewide Elections

2024 General Election: Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Quick Contact Information


Mailing & Physical Address
New Mexico Capitol Annex North
325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Hours of Operation
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday

Toll Free : 1-800-477-3632

Business Services Division
Phone 505-827-3600 (Option 1)
Fax 505-827-4387
Email Business.Services@sos.nm.gov

Bureau of Elections
Phone: 505-827-3600 (Option 2)
Email: Elections@sos.nm.gov

Ethics Division
Phone: 505-827-3600 (Option 2)
Email: Sos.ethics@sos.nm.gov

Receptionist
Phone 505-827-3600 (Option 3)

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