Interest in the next president is bringing in a steady stream of early voters, said Quay County Clerk Ellen White.

About 26 percent of eligible voters have voted early or requested absentee ballots.

“The numbers are pretty high,” White said. “There are a lot of people voting – over 100 a day, which is a lot for a small county.”

As of Tuesday, there were 1,084 ballots cast by early voters, White said.

That’s about three times more ballots than were cast in the primary, she said.

Absentee ballots sent out to voters numbered 524 as of Tuesday.

In the primary election this year, there were only 39 absentee ballots, White said.

In all, Quay County has about 6,100 eligible voters.

Thursday is the last day that requests for absentee ballots can be made, and they have to be requested in time to be mailed at 4 p.m. on Thursday, White said.

Absentee ballots have to be returned by 7 p.m. on Nov. 4, the day of the general election.

To learn more about the election, White said prospective voters can visit the New Mexico Secretary of State Web site at www.sos.state.nm.us.
At the site there is information on your voter registration, campaign finance reports for candidates, contributors, a list of the Constitutional Amendments and bond questions that appear on the ballot (in English and Spanish) and other voter information.