ALBUQUERQUE, NM — As the nation faces increased threats to civil rights under a second Trump presidency, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico announced immediate action to protect constitutional freedoms in the state. 

“While Donald Trump may have been democratically reelected, the ACLU of New Mexico is clear-eyed about the challenges ahead,” said Leon Howard, Interim Executive Director of the ACLU of New Mexico. “We are done with handwringing—we are ready to act. New Mexico has established itself as a stronghold for civil rights, and we will use every available tool to maintain these protections and even expand them. We will defend our communities in the courts and in the legislature against any attempts to roll back fundamental rights.” 

The ACLU of New Mexico pointed to several immediate priorities: 

• Protecting immigrant communities by preventing state resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement and fighting the expansion of immigration detention; 
• Safeguarding reproductive rights by protecting reproductive freedom in New Mexico and defending those targeted for providing or seeking reproductive care in the state; 
• Fighting against censorship and attempts to limit our First Amendment rights, including the right to protest; 
• Protecting LGBTQ+ rights by ensuring access to gender-affirming care and defending our privacy; 
• Continuing to defend diversity, equity, and inclusion and fight for the dignity of all New Mexicans, including our unhoused neighbors, people facing police violence, and people who are incarcerated. 

“We know many are feeling fear and processing these results in different ways,” said Howard. “But when you’re ready, we urge New Mexicans to join us in this fight. The ACLU has successfully defended civil liberties for over 100 years, and together, we will ensure New Mexico remains a beacon for civil rights and freedoms.” 

Editor’s note: The votes reported here are based on overall vote counts reported to the New Mexico Secretary of State and are considered unofficial. To see other unofficial election results visit https://electionresults.sos.nm.gov.

Gabe Vasquez is returning to Congress.

Multiple media outlets reported late Tuesday that Vasquez had defeated Alamogordo Republican Yvette Herrell.

Just after midnight, the Associated Press, Fox News and USA Today were among the outlets awarding the 2nd Congressional District race to Vasquez, who also defeated Herrell in 2022 by 1,350 votes.

“The difference for me in this race was how much more knowledgeable I am about the issues impacting our district,” Vasquez told the Sun-News. “I haven’t thought too much about what the former Congresswoman and her platform is all about. I thought about governing from Day 1 and governing until I’m here. Regardless of the results of the election, I want to be proud of the work I’ve done, but I feel that the work I have done has given voters confidence to send me back to Congress.”

Around 10:30 p.m. on Election Night, the Vasquez campaign ended its watch party at a downtown Las Cruces bar when the race was tied on the New Mexico Secretary of State website with Vasquez holding a 41 vote lead.

Over an hour later, Vasquez had secured 52% of the 260,262 votes in the race according to unofficial results on the New Mexico Secretary of State website. There were 192,673 total votes in the 2022 General Election.

Vasquez secured 57% of the 82,460 votes in Doña Ana County just after midnight on Wednesday.

The district encompasses southern New Mexico which, after redistricting, now represents a swath extending from the southwest up to part of Bernalillo County, including Albuquerque’s South Valley.

The race for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District was identified a a potential swing district, even drawing U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to stump for Herrell in Las Cruces during the summer, as well as a visit to Albuquerque last week by former President Donald Trump.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also made a stop in Albuquerque in October.

The seat has flipped parties three times in the past six years. Herrell lost by two percentage points to Democrat Xochitl Torres Small in 2018, but won a rematch two years later, securing 54% of the 264,946 votes.

Herrell attacked Vasquez on immigration and the border, but also campaigned on the economy, an increased cost of living and crime.

Vasquez recently introduced a bipartisan Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, which would provide increased funding, technology and staffing for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He has also introduced a package of immigration and border bills, which he announced in November 2023.

The Las Cruces Sun-News is providing this content free of charge as part of our commitment to inform and empower Doña Ana County voters. Please consider supporting local journalism through a subscription.

Update: Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

As of the latest update from the New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State, at 1 p.m., 793,497 ballots have been cast in our state. Here is a breakdown by party:

• Democrat: 362,481
• Republican: 287,687
• Declined to state a party: 132,318
• Libertarian: 6,998
• Other: 4,013

According to the secretary of state’s office, there were 1,382,761 registered voters. Turnout as of 1 p.m. has been around 57.38%.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday in New Mexico as Election Day is here for the 2024 general election.

663,874 people cast a ballot ahead of Election Day, which is down from 2020 when 785,789 people cast ballot before Election Day.

If you haven’t cast your vote, make sure you get in line before 7 p.m. Although polls close at 7 p.m., they will not turn you away if you are in line by that time.

If you have a mail-in ballot, it is too late to put that in the mailbox. However, you can drop that off at a polling site. You can also drop off an absentee ballot at a polling site.

We will be providing updates on this page as results start coming in for races here in New Mexico, including these key races:

Four state constitutional amendments are also on the ballot. Two amendments are about tax exemptions for military veterans. One amendment concerns if county commissioners should be allowed to set their own salaries and the salaries of other county officials. The other amendment concerns a possible change to the commission in charge of finding new state Supreme Court justices.

For results on each race and ballot measure in New Mexico, click/tap here for all election results.