New Mexico on track to meet previous voter turnout record

Democrats: 199,377

Republicans: 129,990

Libertarians: 2,212

Independents:  50,416

UNM political science professor Lonna Atkeson said there’s plenty of enthusiasm among voters regardless of the political party.

“It's the excitement of the presidential election on both sides of the aisle. We  see that, but we're seeing that take place differently,” she said.

 According to the Secretary of State’s office, 120,575 Democrats have voted by mail so far. Compared to Republicans, only 39,144 have cast their vote by mail.

Professor Atkeson said that stark difference in numbers is in-part due to President Trump’s rhetoric about mail-in voting.

“That's not only President Trump,” she said. “On the Democratic side you have a lot of support for vote-by-mail.”

That means more registered Republican voters will likely go to the polls in person on Election Day.

The highest voter turnout in New Mexico was back in 2008 when President Barack Obama was elected. That year, 70 percent of eligible voters in New Mexico cast a ballot.

Professor Atkeson said the newest numbers are trending to meet or exceed the 2008 voter turnout.

“Yeah, there is so much enthusiasm going on there and there is really different interests in party mobilization.  It certainly parallels what we are seeing nationally,” she said.

In New Mexico’s hotly contested House of Representatives race in District 2, more Republicans have cast their votes so far compared to Democrats. That’s good news for Republican CD 2 challenger Yvette Herrell. 

 Nearly 14,500 Independents have cast their vote in District 2. That group will likely be the ones to decide if District 2 will flip red or stay blue. 

To learn more about early voting, click here.