Observe New Mexico Elections (ONME) Kicks Off Observation Effort as Early Voting Begins for 2026 General Election

Santa Fe, N.M. – Early voting has kicked off at county clerk offices statewide Tuesday, October 6, 2026, for New Mexico’s General Election. Observe New Mexico Elections (ONME) begins its fourth observation effort in the state as General Election early voting begins.

The 2026 New Mexico General Election ballot includes candidates for U.S. Senator and three U.S. Representatives, as well as statewide offices including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Auditor, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Public Lands. Absentee ballots are being mailed to voters who requested them.

ONME’s election observers will monitor elections in all 33 counties. They are expected to produce up to 520 observations of six election processes – poll worker training, election machine certification, early voting, absentee vote processing, Election Day voting, and election results certification. Learn more about how elections are observed here.

“In each election observation effort we engage in, we recommit to our mission of increasing trust and transparency in elections,” said Carmen López, Co-Leader of ONME. “Through our findings this summer, we were glad to report that the Primary Election was overall calm, orderly, and professionally administered across the processes and locations observed. As voting begins for the General Election, we look forward to continuing that work and sharing observations that help New Mexicans better understand and have confidence in the election process.”

Expanded early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 17, adding additional polling locations in many counties. Oct. 20 is the deadline for county clerks to receive absentee ballot applications, and Oct. 31 is the final day of early voting statewide. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, when polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. To find the polling places nearest to you, click here.

To learn more about ONME’s election observation initiative, read past findings or explore volunteer opportunities, visit observenmelections.org.

About Observe New Mexico Elections 

The mission of Observe New Mexico Elections is to increase transparency and trust in New Mexico’s elections by training and deploying nonpartisan election observers throughout the state. Observers will report on how election laws and procedures are followed, representing all voters without interfering in the electoral process. Findings from their observations will be compiled to assess the overall quality of elections in New Mexico.

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