Early voting has kicked off in New Mexico and over 200 people in the Doña Ana community headed to the polls at Corbett Center Student Union on Oct. 23, the first day of early voting on the NMSU campus. Voting began at 11 a.m. and ended at 7 p.m. in the Otero room.  

A total of 201 voted at CCSU and over 324 ballots were casted on Tuesday, according to the Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office. 

The county clerk’s office made Corbett Center an alternate early voting location in order to increase voting within the NMSU community. 

Students, faculty and members around the community were invited to come vote at the voting location.  

Associated Students of New Mexico State University President, Emerson Morrow, said that during the first few hours of polling, on average, one ballot was cast every minute. 

“I really hope that it keeps up,” Morrow said. He said that in 2010, a little over 250 people voted at the NMSU campus during early voting and his goal is to “exceed that.” 

Morrow said that students find the alternate voting location convenient. Students can stay on campus and cast their ballots.  

ASNMSU also had a table outside of the voting center. The organization handed out desserts and stickers, and answered any questions students may have had about voting.  

“With young people, a lot of people just assume you know something, but if you’ve never voted before, then there are a lot of questions people may have,” Morrow said.  

President of NMSU, John D. Floros also made his way down to the Otero room on Tuesday. He said he saw many community members fulfill their civic duty. He said he was glad to see so many people because voting is important.  

“It’s a fundamental right, and its part of our democracy,” Floros said. “If we don’t vote, we allow other people to make decisions for us.” 

Floros says he hopes students are motivated to vote. He said it is a crucial time for the state and the country.  

The NMSU president said he hopes that students pay attention to all aspects of the ballot, particularly General Obligation Bond B and General Obligation Bond D.  

GO Bond B, if approved, will be used to fund libraries and GO Bond D, he said is a “more important bond for us.” 

GO Bond D will provide money for institutions around the state, including NMSU. That money will be used to build three new buildings for the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

“If we get this bond passed and if we get that money here, it will be a huge boost for the university as well as the region,” Floros said.   

Lillian Rios, a student at NMSU, voted at the Otero room in Corbett Center. She said students should take the time to vote because it is on campus and is convenient.  

“Otherwise you don’t have the right to b— about anything. You have to vote, you have to make a decision about what’s happening in the country and even in your state,” Rios said.  

She also mentioned bonds for schools and their impact for the future.  

“If you don’t have a say in that, what’s going to happen to you when your kid needs a school bus or your parents need a place to live?” Rios said.

Morrow said he is excited to see all of the voters and he was glad to cast his own ballot on campus. 

“This is just an awesome example on how government should work. Students wanted this, we asked for it and then local elected officials worked to make it happen,” Morrow said.  

Early voting will be held at Corbett Center from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Ortero room. The final day of voting will be Nov. 3 at the Doña Ana County Government Center.