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WASHINGTON — In the upcoming election in New Mexico, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, former Republican President Donald Trump, and five independent candidates will vie for the state’s five electoral votes. However, the most intense competition appears to be in the U.S. House race, which could influence control in the closely divided chamber.
Historically, New Mexico has been a competitive landscape for presidential elections, having swung between Democratic and Republican candidates in the early 2000s. In recent years, however, Democratic candidates have dominated, winning seven of the last eight presidential elections. This time around, neither of the leading party candidates has actively campaigned in the state.
In the House race, Democratic Representative Gabriel Vasquez aims to secure a second term in the 2nd Congressional District. He faces off against Yvette Herrell, the Republican candidate he narrowly defeated in 2022. Immigration is a critical issue in this expansive district that runs along the entire Mexican border. A victory for Herrell could complicate the Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the House, where Republicans currently hold a slight edge.
Meanwhile, in the Senate race, Democratic incumbent Martin Heinrich is seeking a third term against Republican Nella Domenici, the daughter of the late Pete Domenici, a former Republican senator who served six terms from 1973 until 2009. He was the last Republican to be elected to the Senate from New Mexico.
Early voting in New Mexico is robust, with over 60% of voters typically casting their ballots before Election Day. A recent law mandates that counties publish early and absentee voting results by 11 p.m. ET.
Historically, Democratic candidates secure wins in the state’s largest areas, including Bernalillo, home to Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, the state capital. In contrast, Republicans often perform well in the eastern regions along the Texas border and in San Juan County, located in the northwestern part of the state.
As for the election night coverage, there are specific protocols in place. The organization monitoring the results will refrain from making projections until a clear winner can be determined with no possible avenues left for the trailing candidates to succeed. If a decision has not been reached, updates will continue until any pertinent news, such as candidate concessions or victory declarations, occurs.
Looking ahead to the 2024 elections in New Mexico, key details are as follows:
- Election Day: November 5
- Poll Closing Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Presidential Electoral Votes: 5 awarded to the statewide winner
- Key Races and Candidates:
- President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (DTS) vs. Chase Oliver (OTH) vs. Jill Stein (Green) and two others
- U.S. Senate: Heinrich (D) vs. Domenici (R)
- 2nd Congressional District: Vasquez (D) vs. Herrell (R)
Additionally, the election will feature other significant races, including those for the U.S. House, state Senate, state House, district attorney, along with various bond and ballot measures.
In the previous presidential election in 2020, Democrat Joe Biden captured 54% of the votes against Trump’s 44%. The Associated Press called the race on November 3, 2020, at 9 p.m. ET.
As of September 30, 2024, New Mexico has 1,361,117 registered voters, with about 43% identifying as Democrats, 31% as Republicans, and 24% as independents or belonging to other parties. Voter turnout during the 2020 presidential election was reported at 68% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting has shown significant participation in past elections, with approximately 85% of the total votes cast before Election Day in 2020 and around 63% in 2022.
The process of counting votes will commence immediately following the polls closing. In the 2020 election, initial votes were reported at 9:24 p.m. ET, with 78% of the total votes counted by midnight.
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