Absentee ballot push underway for New Mexico’s June 2 primary

SANTA FE, New Mexico — Election authorities have started distribing absentee ballots in a concerted effort to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission at polling places in New Mexico’s June 2 primary.

The first trickle of voting started on Tuesday at the offices of 33 county clerks throughout the state, where ballots can be filled out in person or dropped off.

New Mexico’s governor and secretary of state are encouraging as many people as possible to vote by absentee ballot. In-person voting will be offered more broadly at early voting centers starting May 16 and on Election Day at traditional precinct polls.

Secretary of State’s Office spokesman Alex Curtas says about 985,000 applications for absentee ballots have been sent to potential voters. More than 91,000 requests for absentee ballots have been made.

The state Supreme Court last month rejected a proposal to suspend most in-person voting.

State health officials say New Mexico has yet to reach a definitive peak in daily infections for COVID-19, amid surging cases in the northwest of the state.

Republican primary voters are deciding between two contenders who hope to retake a congressional swing district seat held by U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in southern New Mexico.

The state’s Democratic primary is likely to decide who succeeds U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján in the Democrat-dominated 3rd Congressional District in northern New Mexico. Luján is the presumed Democratic nominee to succeed retiring Sen. Tom Udall.

The entire Legislature is up for elections this year, with an upswing in primary-election challenges.