LAS CRUCES – Approximately 30% of eligible voters in Doña Ana County have already cast ballots in the 2018 midterm election, according to Clerk Amanda López Askin. This means a total of 35,986 DAC voters have participated in this year’s general election so far. Here is a statement from the county clerk's office:
“Doña Ana County has seen incredible early voter turnout,” Askin said. “As the new County Clerk, I could not be prouder of our excellent participation in democracy, and I am hoping that this voting momentum takes us into a very busy Election Day.”
The pace of voting for Doña Ana County far exceeded the early voting turnout of the last midterm election in 2014. 28,918 Doña Ana County voters cast their ballots in-person during early voting in this year’s general election. There were approximately 16,324 in-person early votes cast in 2014, and approximately 40,450 cast ballots in person during early voting in 2016*.
In addition, absentee voters in Doña Ana County have already cast 7,068 ballots in the 2018 midterm election.
“We do not know the exact reasons why people are choosing to vote early or to take advantage of absentee voting, but we are pleased that they are,” Askin said. “Some may have realized the convenience of obtaining an absentee ballot, and in-person voters may have prioritized this election cycle and decided to vote early. Whatever the reason, we are proud of Doña Ana County, and we are ready for Election Day.”
Early voting began on October 9th and ended at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 3rd.
Forty voting locations throughout Doña Ana County will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6th from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All those still interested in voting absentee should know that absentee ballots must also be received by the County Clerk’s Office by 7:00 pm on Election Day, November 6th.
The total number of votes cast (Early Voting, Absentee, and Election Day) in the last general midterm election in Doña Ana County was 41,586. The total number of votes cast in the 2016 general election (Early Voting, Absentee, and Election Day) in Doña Ana County was 71,084.
Great resources to utilize are www.dacelections.com and www.nmvote.org to check your registration status as well as find your closest VCC (Voting Convenience Center).
*These numbers are approximate totals that do not include provisional ballots and/or ballots that needed/need hand-tallying on Election Day.