§ NMSA 1978, § 1-6-5Processing application; issuance of ballot

Processing application; issuance of ballot.
A. The county clerk shall mark each completed application for a mailed ballot with the date
and time of receipt in the clerk's office and enter the required information in the ballot register.
The county clerk shall then determine if the applicant is a voter and if the voter is a uniformed-service voter or an overseas voter. If the applicant is a uniformed-service voter or overseas voter,
the application shall be processed pursuant to the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act [1-6B-1 through 1-6B-17 NMSA 1978].
B. If the applicant does not have a valid certificate of registration on file in the county, a mailed
ballot shall not be issued and the county clerk shall mark the application "rejected", file the application in a separate file from those accepted and notify the applicant in writing with an explanation why the application was rejected.
C. When required by federal law, if the applicant has on file with the county a valid certificate of
registration that indicates that the applicant is a voter who is a new registrant in the state and who
registered by mail without submitting the required documentary identification, the county clerk
shall notify the voter that the voter must submit with the mailed ballot a form of documentary identification from the list in Paragraph (3) of Subsection I of Section 1-4-5.1 NMSA 1978. The county
clerk shall note on the ballot register and signature roster that the applicant's mailed ballot must be
returned with the required voter identification.
D. If the applicant has on file with the county a valid certificate of registration, the county
clerk shall mark the application "accepted" and deliver a mailed ballot to the voter and the required envelopes for use in returning the ballot.
E. Upon the mailing of a mailed ballot to an applicant who is a voter, an appropriate designation shall be made on the signature line of the signature roster next to the name of the voter.
F. A mailed ballot shall not be delivered by the county clerk to any person other than the applicant for the ballot. Mailed ballots shall be sent to applicants beginning twenty-eight days before
the election. For each application for a mailed ballot received twenty-three or more days before the
election, the county clerk shall send either the ballot or a notice of rejection to the applicant as
soon as practicable; provided that the ballot or a notice of rejection is sent not later than twenty-two days before the election. For each application for a mailed ballot received within twenty-two
days of election day, the county clerk shall send either the mailed ballot or a notice of rejection to
the applicant within twenty-four hours after receipt of the voter's application for a mailed ballot.
A mailed ballot shall be requested not later than the Thursday immediately prior to the date of
the election and shall be sent to the voter not later than the Friday immediately prior to the date
of the election.