Register to vote in the midterms online now or at the polls through Election Day

Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day, a civic holiday meant to celebrate U.S. democracy and endorsed by election administrators.

“National Voter Registration Day is a non-partisan celebration of the right to vote and of having a voice in our democracy,” New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said in a news release. 

Eligible voters can register or update their registration online anytime before early voting begins on Oct. 11.

And this year, for the first time, when eligible New Mexican voters show up to the polls both during early voting or on Election Day itself, they can register to vote or update their voter registration right before they cast their ballot, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

Same-day registration was an option for early voters last year, but it was not available on Election Day proper. Lawmakers in 2018 rewrote the state’s election code in an effort to increase voter participation, including allowing same-day registration.

Same-day registration will be available at any polling location on Election Day and at participating early voting locations, according to the Secretary of State’s Office which recommends checking with your local county clerk.

At the end of August, 1,353,869 New Mexicans were registered to vote, out of about 1,498,000 eligible voters in the state. About 44% of registered voters in the state were Democrats, while 31% were Republicans.

Over 10,000 New Mexico voters used same-day voter registration this summer during New Mexico’s primary.