By Kevin Hendricks, Jesse Jones, Rodd Cayton and Pat Davis, The Paper & The New Mexico News — 2026’s midterm elections may be among the biggest in recent memory, both nationally and here in New Mexico, if early voting and midday Election Day turnout trends continue until polls close at 7 p.m. tonight.
Election Day turnout data from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office shows 138,376 voters cast ballots in person today as of 2 p.m. Of those voters, 42.7% are Democrats, 36.4% are Republicans and 21% are nonpartisan or registered with minor parties. Democrats still lead in Election Day turnout, but Republicans narrowed the gap. Democrats made up nearly 50% of early voters compared with about 33% for Republicans, so the two parties are now about 6 points apart instead of 17.
Across all voting modes through midday Tuesday, statewide voter turnout has reached 40.92% and Democrats still maintain a net statewide cushion of 103,650 ballots over Republicans when all early and absentee ballots cast are added in.
Read more about early voting turnout from The New Mexico News.
Statewide: nm.news/2026/11/02/statewide-early-vote-turnout-2026/
Sandoval County: nm.news/2026/11/02/dems-outperform-gop-in-sandoval-county-early-voting-nonpartisans-mostly-on-the-sidelines/
Chaves County: nm.news/2026/11/02/in-chaves-co-republicans-early-vote-turnout/