Thank you for this clarification about permanent absentee voting, Mary. I love to vote in person but am seriously considering the permanent absentee option. It seems like a good way to support vote by mail, which is highly successful in several states. I hope that New Mexico will shift to vote by mail to increase voter turnout and also reduce the cost of elections in the coming years.

Jeanne

From: Lwvcnmtopics <lwvcnmtopics-bounces@mailman.swcp.com> On Behalf Of Mary H Smith via Lwvcnmtopics
Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2024 3:38 PM
To: LWVCNM Topics (lwvcnmtopics@mailman.swcp.com) <lwvcnmtopics@mailman.swcp.com>
Subject: [Lwvcnmtopics] update: permanent absentee voting

  [EXTERNAL]

I want to expand upon and clarify the process for getting on the permanent absentee voter list. This may be overkill, but it makes clear that this new law only applies to “statewide elections.” “Local regular elections” and “municipal elections” are not included in the law, yet.

The NM Voting Rights Act language states that the permanent absentee voting list applies only to a “statewide election conducted that includes the precinct in which the voter is eligible to vote.”

The time in which to request an absentee ballot for statewide elections is not yet open (I clicked on the link below in the KUNM article).

I’ve highlighted below the language from the KUNM article posted earlier.

            “Joining the list is voluntary. Participants must have a New Mexico mailing address and cannot be a military or overseas voter.

To get on it, eligible voters will request an absentee ballot from their county clerk just as they would have in the past. However, this time they’ll check a box to be added to the permanent list. If accepted, the clerk will automatically send the voter a mailed ballot for every statewide election that includes their precinct.

            …

            The next statewide election is the primary on June 4. Absentee applications for that election will open on March 11 following the municipal elections, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.”

I think contacting the county clerk will answer any unanswered questions.

Mary H Smith