All about absentee voting

As election season approaches in November, the University of New Mexico opens up polling sites in the Student Union Building. However, what about students from out-of-state?

As of fall 2023, UNM had 3,609 out-of-state students, according to enrollment reports — leaving them to figure out how to absentee vote while being away from home.

UNM’s Office of Institutional Analytics has data from 2022 that indicates that there is at least one out-of-state student from every state. This means there are 50 states, each with its own guidelines and specifics on how to mail-in vote.

The highest number of out-of-state students come from Texas (534), Colorado (228) and Arizona (128). Below are these states' maps and guidelines for absentee voting.

Texas

1. Fill out the “Application for a Ballot by Mail.” The last day the application can be received for the 2023 election is Oct. 27. The application must include one of the following, according to VoteTexas.gov:

“Texas Driver’s License, Texas Personal Identification Number or Election Identification Certificate Number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (NOT your voter registration VUID number); OR If you have not been issued one of the numbers above, the last four digits of your Social Security Number.”

1. After filling out the application, you can in-person deliver, mail, fax or email with the application for a ballot by mail as a scanned attachment to the early voting clerk.
2. Follow the instructions on the mail-in ballot and send it back. All ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Colorado

1. Every voter should receive a mail-in ballot. If not, contact the local county clerk. The ballot will be sent to the address on your voter registration. To check which address is being used or to make changes, visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.
2. Follow the instructions on the mail-in ballot and send it back. All ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Arizona

1. Fill out an Active Early Voter List (which can be done when registering) or submit a one-time mail-in ballot request. A request for a mail-in ballot can be done online by calling/emailing the County Recorder’s Office or via a printed form.
2. Follow the instructions on the mail-in ballot and send it back. All ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

If you need to scan or print a form to request a mail-in ballot, all resource centers on campus have free printing available. Other places available for printing include the UNM libraries, Dane Smith and the SUB; a standard paper printout in black and white costs $0.08. Don’t forget to buy stamps.

Mailing locations include the mail room located in the Student Residency Center and the U.S. Post Office on 115 Cornell Dr SE, Albuquerque, NM.

Elizabeth Secor is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @esecor2003.

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