Early birds get the worm.
Absentee voting began on Sept. 28, and applications for absentee ballots will be taken until Nov. 2. Ballots can be hand-delivered or mailed to the county clerk, but in either case must be received no later than 7 p.m. on election day. Torrance County Clerk Linda Lujan said that in the first three days of early voting about 15 people have come into her office to cast ballots. In Torrance County, people wanting to vote early have to go to the clerk's office in the Torrance County Courthouse in Estancia. Absentee ballot applications also are available at the clerk's office, or residents can call the office to have one sent to them.