Request your absentee ballot soon
As of Sept. 30, more than 4,600 Taos County voters have applied for absentee ballots. To be precise, 3,815 Democrats, 344 Republicans, 16 Libertarians and 479 independents have requested absentee ballots from Taos County Clerk Anna Martínez. Martínez will start sending those ballots out on Oct. 6.
There’s still time to register to vote, to apply for an absentee ballot and plenty of ways to do so, but the earlier you request one, the better. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 20.
It isn’t complicated. It takes only a few minutes. You can fill out an application online for an absentee ballot at the secretary of state’s website ( sos.state.nm.us) or fill out one on your county clerk’s website. You can also call or email the county clerk for an application. Once you have voted, you can mail the absentee ballot or deliver it by hand to the county clerk’s office. She will have a drop box set up.
Not sure what all is on the ballot? You can also find a sample ballot for your district at the secretary of state’s website and we’ll begin printing a version of one in the paper on Oct. 8.
To find your sample ballot, go to the website nmvote.org;
Scroll down to Find my Registration and Election Information;
Click on My Sample Ballot;
Fill out Voter Registration Search box and hit enter;
On voter information registration page, click on My Sample Ballot in left-hand box;
Click on View Sample Ballot.
It will download as a PDF on your computer. Look for more information and stories about candidates and bond issues in the next couple of weeks of Taos News. Remember that some races listed on ballots will vary depending upon which district and precinct you are voting in.
Absentee ballot requests will be accepted at the secretary of state’s website and the Taos County Clerk’s office until 5 p.m., Oct. 20, but don’t wait that long. The longer you wait, the harder it is for the clerk to get your absentee ballot to you in time for you to mail it back before Election Day.
Vote absentee. Vote early. Make sure your vote gets counted.
But if for any reason you don’t want to vote by mail, you can vote early and in person on Saturday, Oct. 31, at the clerk’s office on Albright Street and on Election Day, Nov. 3.
If you do not receive an absentee ballot, contact the county clerk’s office by Monday, Nov. 2.
Need to reach the Taos County clerk? Here is her information. Be patient in waiting for a response. She and her small staff are extremely busy gearing up for the election.
Anna Martínez, Taos County clerk
105 Albright St., Suite D, Taos
(575) 737-6380 anna.martinez@taoscounty.org
Education forum
After a one-week hiatus, the education forum is back. Join Dr. Lillian Torrez, superintendent of Taos Municipal Schools, Anita Bringas, strategic support manager at University of New Mexico-Taos, and Staci Matlock, editor of Taos News, on Thursday (Oct. 1) at 2 p.m. for updates on education plans in the age of COVID-19. Join the livestream at the Taos News Facebook page or on the website, taosnews.com.
Note regarding letters to the editor
No letters endorsing or criticizing candidates in the November election will be published in the paper or online at taosnews.com after Oct. 22.