POLITICS

Voters Decide Primaries Across Multiple States in June

PUBLISHED Jun 1, 2026, 5:02 PM ET

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Santa Fe — Voters across New Mexico went to the polls Tuesday, June 2, for the state's primary election, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and absentee ballots due by 7 p.m. The Secretary of State reported 181,934 early and absentee ballots cast before the end of early voting, including 18,402 independent voters under the new semi-open system. The early totals show independent voters could request major-party ballots without changing registration, and roughly 77% of independents selecting a party ballot chose Democratic ballots through Monday. Simultaneous primaries in California, Montana and South Dakota featured crowded fields, retirements and intra-party contests that will determine nominee lineups and influence general-election strategies in the coming months.

By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

State legislatures and election authorities set primary formats (top-two, semi-open) prior to filing deadlines.
Candidate filing and endorsement activity, including high-profile retirements and late withdrawals, occurred before filing deadlines.
Early and absentee voting took place; New Mexico recorded 181,934 early/absentee ballots before the end of early voting.
June 2: Primary Election Day — polls opened 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; absentee returns due by 7 p.m.
Post-primary results will shape general-election matchups and party strategy ahead of the fall contests.

News Intelligence

Your vote shapes the political landscape. The primaries decide who'll be on your ballot in the fall. They also influence party strategies. If you're an independent voter, you can now request major-party ballots without changing registration.

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Who Benefited

Political parties, incumbent-aligned campaigns and well-funded candidates benefited from high early turnout and clarified ballot rules, which helped parties and campaigns identify supporter preferences and allocate resources for contested general-election matchups.

Who Impacted

Some unaffiliated and minor-party voters faced confusion from changing primary rules and filing deadlines, and crowded candidate fields risked diluting support for individual contenders and complicating voter choice.

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