Eddy County Clerk Cara Cook urges residents to vote, explains semi-open primary and key dates

Cara Cook, Eddy County Clerk, urged Eddy County residents to vote in two major elections this year and explained how the county’s semi-open primary will work for voters who decline to state a party.

Cook identified herself at the start of the message and said her clerks’ affiliate recently met at a New Mexico county legislative conference where the Secretary of State’s office attended to discuss primary rules. "Voters registered as declined to state, which means they did not select a political party on their voter registration, will have the option of selecting a Democrat or Republican ballot without having to change their voter registration," she said.

The nut graf: Cook said the county will hold a primary on June 2 and a general election on Nov. 3. She told residents that early voting opens 28 days before each election day and reported that there are more than 36,000 registered voters in Eddy County. The information is intended to clarify voting options ahead of the primary and to encourage turnout.

Cook described topics covered at the affiliate meeting, including breakout sessions on reporting and filing, municipal officers’ elections, and IPRA requests, saying those sessions help clerks share best practices for office and election procedures. She noted the Secretary of State’s Office participated in the affiliate meeting to explain the semi-open primary process and answer clerks’ questions.

"Come on, Eddy County. Let's have the highest voter turnout of all time and show the rest of the state and the nation that Eddy County demands to be heard," Cook said in closing.

The message provides dates and procedures residents can use to prepare for both elections; Cook did not provide additional details on polling locations or ballot drop-box locations in the message. Voters seeking more information should contact the Eddy County Clerk’s Office or the Secretary of State’s Office for hours, polling places, and any registration questions.