After 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, a line of students and community members for same-day voter registration voting extended through about half of the Student Union Building’s lower level.
The line of voters extended from Louie’s Lounge to the Lobo Food Pantry. Earlier in the evening, the moving line went as far back as the entrance of the Southwest Film Center. Some voters waited in line for up to four hours.
This is the first year that same-day voter registration on Election Day was made available in New Mexico, according to the Bernalillo County Clerk website.
Polls in New Mexico are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If a registered voter is still in line to vote when polls close, they are still able to cast a ballot in New Mexico, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State website.
The large number of voters looking to register and vote on Election Day caused temporary delays in the Secretary of State’s approval system, according to Source New Mexico.
Volunteers at the SUB handed out “democracy pizzas” and sweet treats, and they made sure voters stayed in line.
The volunteers represented various organizations including Common Cause New Mexico — a nonpartisan organization dedicated to fighting for democratic rights, according to its website. There were also volunteers who were not affiliated with specific organizations.
Marianna Anaya (D), a New Mexico House of Representatives elect, was one such volunteer.
“I feel a very deep responsibility because I will be a representative for this area,” Anaya said. “Although they do not know who I am, to me, it’s just really important to show that people still care about democracy — specifically young people.”
Nearly half of New Mexico’s registered voters cast their ballots during the early voting period, according to Source New Mexico. New Mexico’s voter turnout on Election Day was at least 35% higher than in 2020, according to Source New Mexico.
“I am so encouraged and so jazzed — for lack of a better word — that everybody is so enthusiastic to vote, regardless of how much time that they’ve been standing in that line,” Anaya said.
There were over 100 people still in line after the poll station closed, according to Shannon Kunkel, outreach and development director for Common Cause New Mexico.
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Kunkel attended because a volunteer had contacted her office requesting more assistance.
“It’s only natural that when something is rolled out for the first time something’s implemented, there could be delays,” Kunkel said.
Kunkel answered first-time voters’ questions while they were in line. Some did not have portions of the required documentation for registering readily available, she said.
“I did speak briefly with the presiding judge, who said that they only had two terminals available for same-day registration,” Kunkel said. “Between 5 p.m. and when I returned at 6:30 p.m., an additional terminal and more poll workers were there to assist with the process.”
Over 18,000 people went through same-day voter registration in Bernalillo County, according to a statement from the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Office to the Daily Lobo.
“We plan to collaborate with the Secretary of State’s Office to enhance the efficiency of same-day registration in future elections,” the statement reads.
Shin Thant Hlaing is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
