Record numbers of voters in Sierra and Grant counties in Southwest New Mexico are turning out for early voting and getting in their absentee votes. As of Monday afternoon the tally in Sierra County showed a total of 3,903 people had voted. In neighboring Grant County that figure, as of the end of voting on Saturday, was 9,658. The deadline for absentee votes to be in the hands of county clerks or at polling places is the close of the polls at 7pm on Election Day, November 3. In Sierra County some 400 additional absentee ballots are yet to be mailed or handed in to the Clerk's office.

There remain four more full days of early voting. All day Saturday, October 31 the polls will be open from 10am to 6pm at the Clerk's Office in Sierra County, 100 N. Date Street. On Saturday, October 31 there are two locations in Grant County: one from 8am to 5pm through Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, at the Clerk's office, 1400 Highway 180 East in Silver City and at the Bayard Community Center from 9am to 6pm through Oct. 31, 2020. Both clerks reported that Covid issues had affected a few poll workers, but they have been able to find replacements. The sudden drop in temperature and a snowstorm that has blanketed most of the state might curb some of the early voting.

66,000,000 early voters across the country have already cast their ballots, according to a report by National Public Radio ( https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927803214/62-million-and-counting-americans-are-breaking-early-voting-records ) The turnout is unprecedented. By this author's calculations that national early vote is about 29% of the registered voters in all fifty states and the various territories. In Sierra County, which always has a high turn out, already 48% of the electorate has voted. In Grant County voter turnout is just a hair lower at almost 47% of its registered voters. Overall, however, New Mexicans rank in the lower third of registered voters compared to eligible voters. Only 58.1% of those eligible to vote in New Mexico are registered. ( https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/number-of-registered-voters-by-state ).

Shelly Trujillo, Sierra County clerk, broke down the number of early and absentee voters by party. Among the early voters, 672 are Democrats; 1,503 are Republicans; and 408 are other. Among the absentee voters, 680 are Democrats, 416 are Republicans and 197 other. From the clerk's office in Grant County the breakdown was only for early voters at 6,285 and returns of absentee voters of 3,373. Republicans outnumber Democrats in Sierra County at about 44% to 33%. About 23% of the registered voters are independents or of other minor parties.

This report is part of an on-going national citizen's action to ensure that Count Every Vote ( https://counteveryvote.org/ ) takes place. Another group is Choose Democracy ( https://choosedemocracy.us/ ). Both have pledges that individuals can sign and ways to encourage your neighbors, community businesses and elected officials to join in to ensure a thorough democratic process in the country's election.