Sandoval County voters have one last day to cast ballots before Election Day

Sandoval County voters have one final opportunity to cast their ballots before the official election date arrives on Nov. 3.

As of 10 a.m. on Oct. 30, approximately 30% of registered voters in the county had already submitted their votes during the early voting period. The Sandoval County Bureau of Elections reported a total of 36,836 votes cast up to that point.

The breakdown of these votes shows a clear partisan split among the early participants. Of the total count, 17,363 ballots were from registered Democrats, while 12,521 were from registered Republicans. An additional 6,952 voters either declined to state their party or identified with other affiliations. Only a small fraction, just over 5%, of these early votes were submitted by absentee ballot.

Turnout numbers have remained consistent throughout the week. The bureau's data indicates that Monday morning saw the highest single-day volume, with nearly 3,000 votes recorded. Since then, daily totals have held steady at approximately 2,000 votes per day.

Residents who have not yet voted can visit the polls on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is the last day for early voting. After Saturday's closing time, the county will wait until Nov. 3 for the next voting opportunity.

For those planning to vote on Election Day, the county has designated numerous locations across Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Corrales, and various pueblos and communities. In Bernalillo, voting sites include the Bernalillo High School Auxiliary Gym at 148 Spartan Alley, the Sandoval County Administrative Building D at 1500 Idalia Road, the Bernalillo Senior Center at 801 Rotary Park Road, and the OLOS Gym at 264 S. Camino Del Pueblo.

Rio Rancho offers the largest number of polling places, including Cielo Azul Elementary School, V. Sue Cleveland High School, and several churches and community centers. Corrales has two sites at the Community Center and Recreation Center. Other locations serve the Jemez Valley, Sandia Park, Placitas, and several Native American communities, including Cochiti Pueblo, Zia Pueblo, and Jemez Pueblo. Voters should verify their specific assigned location or visit any open site on Election Day to ensure their vote is counted.