New Mexico polls close with Luján called for Senate amid voter turnout shift

New Mexico polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, concluding the state's primary election for governor, Congress, and other key offices. The Associated Press called the U.S. Senate race for Democratic incumbent Ben Ray Luján shortly after polls closed, though the news alert on its website was briefly removed. No votes had yet appeared on the state Secretary of State’s website at that time. The AP call came despite the fact that Luján was the only statewide candidate mentioned with a definitive result in the initial reports.

Voter turnout data as of 5 p.m. indicated 672,450 people had cast ballots, representing 46% of the state’s electorate. This total included 327,787 Democrats, 218,459 Republicans, and 118,957 independent or declined-to-state voters. These figures show a divergence from the 2022 midterms, when 634,044 voters had cast ballots by 6 p.m. In 2022, that represented 47% of the electorate. While Democratic turnout increased slightly in both raw numbers and percentage terms, Republican turnout was noticeably lower than in the previous cycle.

Election Day voting also revealed a party split in the early hours. As of 5 p.m., 90,073 Democrats had voted on Election Day compared to 75,858 Republicans. This pattern aligns with broader trends where Democrats lead in early voting and Republicans must secure higher Election Day turnout to close the gap. County-level data showed expected patterns, with Democrats strong in Northern New Mexico and Republicans on the eastern plains, though registered Democrats outpaced Republicans in Socorro, Grant, and Luna counties on Election Day.

Voters at watch parties expressed specific policy hopes for the candidates. Tyius Garviso, 29, a member of San Felipe Pueblo, attended Deb Haaland’s event in Albuquerque. He stated that Haaland, if elected, should reign in data center development and conserve water. Garviso noted that Haaland did everything for tribal sovereignty during the Biden Administration as Secretary of the Interior. Sa'ida Thomas, 56, a Rio Rancho resident, said she considered voting for Republican gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull but ultimately chose Haaland. Thomas described Hull as a good mayor but said he was backing a party that is way too backwards. She called Haaland quintessentially New Mexican and supported her proposal for data centers to use renewable energy.

A legal dispute over election materials also concluded before polls closed. State 5th Judicial District Judge Jared Kallunki ordered the League of Women Voters’ election guides removed from polling places statewide. The state and national Republican parties, along with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Larry Marker, filed suit over the guide’s use of an incorrect mugshot for Marker. The guide included a photo of Nehemiah Vasquez, a Taos County commission candidate. The state Secretary of State’s Office did not oppose the request, according to court filings. Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters said in a statement that Democrats play games with our elections, and the RNC put a stop to it.

The gubernatorial race pits Democratic incumbent Deb Haaland against Republican challenger Gregg Hull to succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishan. In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Rep. Gabe Vasquez is defending the state’s only swing seat against Republican challenger Greg Cunningham. Local races are also contested in several districts, including House Districts 40, 48, and 50, where Democrats hold long-standing registration advantages.