By Kevin Hendricks — New Mexico voters just got a cheat sheet — the legal kind. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and Attorney General Raúl Torrez released a joint advisory Tuesday spelling out election deadlines, who belongs at a polling place and what crosses the line into voter intimidation.
Only poll workers, voters, credentialed challengers, watchers and observers belong inside, according to the advisory. Self-appointed watchers don’t. Neither do uniformed police unless election officials call them in, and state law bars federal officers from interfering in state elections. Toulouse Oliver said New Mexicans “are being bombarded with misinformation about how to participate in our elections.”
This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news service covering politics and policy in the Land of Enchantment. Learn more and support our work at nmreports.org
Torrez said his office “will continue to enforce the law when those rights are threatened.” The advisory lists examples of intimidation, including following voters, writing down their license plate numbers and confronting them in military-style uniforms. State law also bans campaigning and the open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling places.
Voters who requested a mail ballot but would rather vote in person can still do so by signing an affidavit at the polls. Same-day registration remains available at every voting location through Election Day.
Vote in the 2026 General Election:
- Request a mail ballot by: Tuesday, Oct. 20
- More early voting sites open: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Polling places and sample ballots: NMVote.org
- Track your mail ballot: sos.nm.gov/trackmyballot
- Fact-check election rumors: rumor.nmvote.org
- Report intimidation: Tell the presiding judge at your polling site or call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-477-3632
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