If you're not already registered to vote, Tuesday is the last day to register in order to cast a ballot in New Mexico's Nov. 2 general election.

If you are new to Santa Fe County, have changed your residence or changed your name, you must re-register, the Santa Fe County Clerk's Office says.

Early and absentee voting will be allowed beginning Tuesday.

Voters can apply for an absentee ballot any time until Oct. 29. To apply for an absentee ballot, you can call the county clerk's office at 986-6280, or go online to www.santafecounty.org/userfiles/av_app.pdf to print an application.

You can vote early in person at the clerk's office in downtown Santa Fe beginning Tuesday through Oct. 29. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, including lunch hours, except for Oct. 11, when the clerk's office will be closed in observance of Columbus Day. Voting also will occur Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Early in-person voting at several alternative sites in Santa Fe County is scheduled to begin Oct. 16 and end Oct. 30. These sites include the Edgewood Fire Station, Eldorado Senior Center, Santa Fe Fairgrounds, Pojoaque County Satellite Office and the Santa Cruz Abedon Senior Center. Days and hours for voting at these sites are noon until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. These sites will be closed Sundays and Mondays.

Because Democratic Party candidates for Santa Fe County offices don't face any opposition in the general election, those races were decided in the June primary election.

However, a number of contests for state offices, including who will fill the offices of governor, attorney general, secretary of state and land commissioner, among others, will be decided by voters in the general election. Legislative and congressional races will also be on the ballot.

The New Mexican has already begun publishing a series of candidate profiles and issue stories as part of ongoing election coverage, all of which will be available on the newspaper's website at www.santafenewmexican.com/election.

Profiles of the gubernatorial candidates will appear Oct. 10. Reporter Steve Terrell will profile Diane Denish, the Democratic nominee and current lieutenant governor, while reporter Kate Nash will profile Susana Martinez, the Republican candidate, district attorney in Doña Ana County.

Stories on other ballot races will also continue to appear over the next two weeks.

The New Mexican will publish endorsements on its editorial page on the following dates:

Oct. 21: Attorney general and courts

Oct. 22: State auditor, state treasurer and secretary of state

Oct. 23: State Legislature

Oct. 24: Governor and congressional representative

Oct. 25: Constitutional amendments