Polls shall be opened at 7:00 a.m. on the date required by law for the election and shall be closed at 7:00 p.m. on the same day.

History: 1953 Comp., § 3-12-1, enacted by Laws 1969, ch. 240, § 237; 1985, ch. 205, § 1; 1987, ch. 226, § 2.

Cross references. — For right of challengers and watchers to be present, see 1-2-23 and 1-2-29 NMSA 1978.

For proclaiming closing of polls, see 1-12-26 NMSA 1978.

For allowing employees time off to vote, see 1-12-42 NMSA 1978.

For provision prohibiting local or special laws regarding opening or conducting any election or designating voting place, see N.M. Const., art. IV, § 24.

Mere irregularity in manner of conducting an election, in absence of fraud or evidence of a change in result, did not necessarily destroy validity of election, nor probative force of ballots as evidence. Gallegos v. Miera, 1923-NMSC-018, 28 N.M. 565, 215 P. 968.

Effect of mere irregularities. — Elections conducted fairly and honestly will not be set aside for mere irregularity in the appointment of election officers or in conduct of the election where no fraud or illegal voting is shown. Carabajal v. Lucero, 1916-NMSC-045, 22 N.M. 30, 158 P. 1088.

No ballots received after 7:00 p.m. regardless of voter position. — From and after 7:00 p.m. no ballots shall be received by the officials, irrespective of whether voting machines or the ordinary type of balloting is employed. Thus it makes no difference that the person is in line outside the polling place and has not announced his name to the poll clerk, or that a person is inside the polling place and has not yet announced his name to the poll clerk or that he has announced his name to the poll clerk but has not yet gone into the voting machine to vote. At 7:00 p.m. the machine should be locked where voting machines are used, and where ordinary balloting is employed the officials must not allow the deposit of any ballots in the ballot boxes after this time. 1956 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 56-6532.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 26 Am. Jur. 2d Elections § 103.

Violation of law as regards time for keeping polls open as affecting election results, 66 A.L.R. 1159.

Validity of public election as affected by fact that it was held at time other than fixed by law, 121 A.L.R. 987.

29 C.J.S. Elections § 198.