CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Cibola County residents who are considering a run for local office will soon have a major deadline on the calendar: Filing Day is Tuesday, March 10, 2026, when candidates for most local offices must submit their paperwork in person at the Cibola County Clerk’s Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The deadline applies to several high-impact positions in county government, including two seats on the Cibola County Board of Commissioners, along with countywide judicial and public safety offices that shape day-to-day life across the county.
This is an opportunity for those citizens who have plans and goals for the community to stand up and put their hat in the ring to lead.
What is Filing Day?
Under the New Mexico Secretary of State’s 2026 Candidate Guide, Filing Day is the statewide deadline when candidates for offices must file their declarations of candidacy during the specified hours.
The New Mexico Secretary of State and Cibola County Clerk have confirmed Filing Day will be March 10, 2026.
For most local offices, filings are made with the county clerk in the county where the candidate resides.
The Secretary of State’s guidance also draws a clear line between offices that require nominating petitions and offices that do not. For positions such as state legislative offices and certain judicial positions, candidates must file a declaration of candidacy and nominating petitions at the same time. For other elective county offices, candidates generally file a declaration of candidacy and filing fees, or a pauper statement in lieu of fees if they qualify.
Primary election timeline for voters
For voters, the primary election timeline begins to accelerate in May.
The Secretary of State’s schedule lists May 5, 2026 as the date voter registration by mail, through a voter registration agent, and online closes, and it is also the date early in-person voting begins at county clerk offices.
That is also when county clerks begin sending mailed ballots. The primary election will be June 2, 2026, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
How Do I Register to Vote?
Local elections in Cibola County tend to be the quiet workhorses of democracy: they don’t always draw big crowds, but they shape the day-today decisions that residents feel most directly, from city services to school governance and special district leadership.
In the 2025 Regular Local Election, Cibola County saw only a 14.6% voter turnout countywide on Tuesday, Nov. 4 of last year, according to official county election data.
The following information came directly from the Secretary of State’s Office.
How do I register to vote in New Mexico?
• If you have a current or expired New Mexico state I.D. or driver’s license, you can register or update your registration online with our Online Voter Registration System: https://portal1.sos.nm .gov/OVR/WebPages/InstructionsStep1. aspx
• A voter can use the paper application found here: (English / Español) and mail it to your to your County Clerk’s Office
• A voter may request a copy of the paper application be mailed to them by contacting your County Clerk’s Office
• You may also register with a Third-Party Registration Agent (see below).
What do I need to provide when I register to vote by mail?
• If you are registering for the first time in New Mexico, and you submit the registration form by mail, then you must submit with the form a copy of (1) a current and valid photo identification; or (2) a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card or other government document, including identification issued by an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo that shows your name and current address. If you do not submit one of these forms of identification with your mailed-in, first time registration, then you will be required to present one of the forms of identification when voting in person or absentee.
• Once the county clerk has accepted the form for filing, individuals or groups may make a public records request. However, the day and month of birth and the Social Security number on the form is always privacy protected.