What is the abbreviation for New Mexico, and what region is it in?

New Mexico's two-letter postal abbreviation is NM. The U.S. Census Bureau places it in the West region, in the Mountain division. About 2.12 million people lived there in the 2020 census, and about 47 percent identified as Hispanic or Latino, the highest share of any state.

Is New Mexico part of the United States?

Yes. New Mexico is a U.S. state, the 47th, admitted on January 6, 1912, and its residents are U.S. citizens like those of any other state. It is sometimes confused with the country of Mexico, which it borders to the south.

How did New Mexico become part of the United States?

Spain colonized the region beginning in 1598, and it became part of Mexico after Mexican independence in 1821. Most of it came to the United States in 1848 at the end of the Mexican-American War, and the Gadsden Purchase added the southern strip in 1853. Congress created the New Mexico Territory in 1850, and statehood took more than 60 years.

Where does the name New Mexico come from?

Spanish explorers in the 1500s called the land north of the Rio Grande "Nuevo México," after the Valley of Mexico and the Mexica (Aztec) people, hoping to find another rich civilization there. The name stayed through Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. rule.

What is the capital of New Mexico, and has it always been the capital?

Santa Fe has been the capital since about 1610, when Spanish colonists made it the seat of government, which makes it the oldest capital city in the United States. At about 7,000 feet above sea level, it is also the highest state capital. Its Palace of the Governors, built in the early 1600s, is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the country.

What states and countries border New Mexico?

New Mexico borders Colorado to the north, Oklahoma to the northeast, Texas to the east and south, and Arizona to the west, and touches Utah at the Four Corners. To the south it borders the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora.

What are New Mexico's nickname, motto, and symbols?

New Mexico is known as "The Land of Enchantment." Its motto is "Crescit Eundo," Latin for "It Grows As It Goes." Its state bird is the greater roadrunner, its flower is the yucca, and its tree is the piñon pine. It even has an official state question, "Red or green?", which asks which chile sauce you want.

How many representatives and electoral votes does New Mexico have?

Based on the 2020 census, New Mexico has 3 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, the same as before, which gives it 5 votes in the Electoral College.

Where was the first atomic bomb tested?

The first atomic bomb was tested at the Trinity Site in the New Mexico desert, northwest of Alamogordo, on July 16, 1945. The bomb was designed at the secret Los Alamos Laboratory in northern New Mexico, now Los Alamos National Laboratory.

U.S. State47th State • January 6, 1912

New Mexico NM

"The Land of Enchantment"

Ancient Pueblo civilizations, Spanish colonial history, the Manhattan Project, and two of the world's most important scientific laboratories, all set against landscapes that have inspired artists, adventurers, and astronomers for millennia.

State Debt - FY2024

$7.1 billion

Total state government debt outstanding at the close of fiscal 2024, including long-term bonds and short-term borrowing across state agencies and public universities.

Tax Revenue - FY2024

$14.2 billion

Total New Mexico state tax collections in fiscal 2024, led by severance taxes on oil and gas ($4.7B) and the state gross receipts tax ($4.3B), reflecting the state's heavy reliance on energy production.

Borrowing

New Mexico issues small general obligation bonds that voters approve every two years, backed by a statewide property tax, plus large severance tax bonds backed by oil and gas revenue. Both are sold to investors in the tax-exempt municipal market. The state reported about $290 million in interest on its debt in fiscal 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State Government Finances.

2.1M

Population

47th

State (1912)

PhDs Per Capita

1945

Trinity Test

New Mexico's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Hola, New Mexico. On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, you're choosing a new governor and lieutenant governor, a U.S. senator, your member of the U.S. House, the rest of the statewide offices, your state representative, and seven statewide questions.

This is a midterm election, halfway through the president's term, and nationally it decides who controls Congress for the next two years. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is term-limited, so the governor's office is open.

The ballot questions are four constitutional amendments, including salaries for legislators, and three bond questions for senior centers, libraries, and schools. The Secretary of State's voter guide has the official arguments on each amendment.

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against official sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Key Dates
Online and mail registration closes; early voting and same-day registration open at your county clerk's office; absentee ballots start going out	Tuesday, October 6
Expanded early voting opens at alternate locations, with same-day registration	Saturday, October 17
Last day to request an absentee ballot	Tuesday, October 20
Last day of early voting	Saturday, October 31
Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; absentee ballots must arrive by 7 p.m.; same-day registration at every polling place	Tuesday, November 3

How Voting Works in New Mexico

Register online or by mail by October 6. After that, you can register and vote the same day at your county clerk's office, any early voting location, or your polling place on Election Day; bring ID with your address.

Any voter can vote absentee; no reason needed. Request your ballot by October 20 and get it back to your county clerk or a drop box by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Early voting starts October 6 at county clerks' offices and expands to more locations October 17 through October 31. On Election Day, polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you can vote at any polling place in your county.

Most voters don't need ID; first-time voters who registered by mail may be asked for it. Find your sample ballot and voting locations at nmvote.gov.

Sources & Further Reading

…

New Mexico's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against official sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Online and mail registration closes; early voting and same-day registration open at your county clerk's office; absentee ballots start going out

Tuesday, October 6

Expanded early voting opens at alternate locations, with same-day registration

Saturday, October 17

Last day to request an absentee ballot

Tuesday, October 20

Last day of early voting

Saturday, October 31

Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; absentee ballots must arrive by 7 p.m.; same-day registration at every polling place

Tuesday, November 3

How Voting Works in New Mexico

Any voter can vote absentee; no reason needed. Request your ballot by October 20 and get it back to your county clerk or a drop box by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Most voters don't need ID; first-time voters who registered by mail may be asked for it. Find your sample ballot and voting locations at nmvote.gov.

New Mexico's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in New Mexico

📚 Sources & Further Reading

New Mexico's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in New Mexico

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading