Early voting begins Tuesday: Here’s what you should know

As many may know, Nov. 8  is Election Day, but Tuesday, Oct. 11 is when early voting starts — and there is a lot more than you think happening this month ahead of Election Day.

“October 11 is the last day that you can register to vote online or by paper,” Michelle Kavanaugh, the Bernalillo Deputy County clerk, said. “However you can register to vote and vote at the same time again at any one of our early voting locations or at your voting location on election day.”

Oct. 11 is also the first day that absentee ballots can make their way to voters.

With elections right around the corner, people are ready to get out to the polls.

“Go out and vote, after class, before class, after work, whenever,” Joseph Samaniego, a UNM student, said.

“Never miss voting, you should always vote because your voice matters and every vote counts,” said another group of UNM students on campus.

This year is the race for governor, attorney general, United States representatives, and more.

While Nov. 8 is a popular day to vote, early voting is still highly suggested by Deputy County Clerk Kavanaugh.

“You can go vote on election day and I know lots of people love to do it on election day,” Kavanaugh said. “But we really encourage people to take advantage of early voting that way they can avoid the lines that do tend to occur on election day itself.”

For anyone who wants to exercise the right to vote from the comfort of your house, that’s still an option too — you have until Nov. 3 to submit an absentee ballot application.

With election season nearing, the significance of voting is prominent to Kavanaugh.

“Voting is probably the most important thing that you can do to contribute to and participate in the process in which you decide what direction you want your country to go to,” Kavanaugh said.

Early voting will last through Oct. 21. From Oct. 22 through Nov. 5, Bernalillo County will expand their early voting coverage with 20 early voting locations. They will also have their mobile voting unit set up at the state fairgrounds as well.

For more information on polling locations, volunteering opportunities, or any voting questions, click here.