New Mexico's voting requirements:

Besides becoming licensed to drive, another privilege on the road adulthood is turning 18 and being allowed to enter a voting booth to make your own political choices. No more watching on the sidelines while other people choose your state and national representatives and vote on what local taxes you will pay. Now you can earn the "I voted" sticker.

Where to Register
To sign up to vote in New Mexico, you need to visit your local county clerk's office and fill out the voter registration form. You can also call the clerk's office and have them mail you a form.

Unfortunately, the counties do not post a form online at this time. However, you can print out a national form available from the Federal Elections Commission. Fill it out and mail or drop it by the county clerk's office, along with a copy of your driver's license or ID card and a copy of a utility bill. The utility bill helps establish residency when signing up through the mail.

During major general elections, you can register to vote at a variety of places. As a matter of fact, someone might show up at your front door with a voting registration form. With New Mexico being a swing state and essential in national general elections to decide who lives in the White House, voting drives are pretty popular about every four years. So you can always wait for one of these if you prefer ultimate convenience.

Requirements
There are a few basic requirements you must meet in order to be eligible to vote in the United States and to register in New Mexico:

You must be 18 years old.
You must be a legal resident of the United States.
You must be a legal resident of New Mexico.
If you have been convicted of a felony, you must have had your civil rights restored.
You must not have been judged mentally unfit.
Few things in life may be free, but registering to vote is. If you intend to vote in an upcoming election, you must register to vote at least 28 days before the event.

http://www.dmv.org/nm-new-mexico/voter-registration.php


New Mexico's Driver's licenses:

Required Documentation
Make sure that you have all the documentation you need before you get in line for a new license application. You should have the following with you:

Current driver's license from out of state (if applicable)
Social Security card
Two proofs of residency (a P.O. box is not allowed)
Proof of completion of the "None for the Road" program (if applicable)
Required Testing
Be prepared for the written and road tests required for getting a new driver's license. If you are applying for a license after having yours revoked at least one year ago, then you will be required to take the written test again. All applicants for a new license must take a vision test.

Non-Citizen Driver License Requirements
If you're just visiting, you can drive with your valid driver's license. Getting an International Driver's Permit (IDP) from your home country is a good idea, though. Many car rental agencies require one, and it'll make things easier while you're on the road. Be sure to carry both documents with you.

If you decide to become a New Mexico resident, you'll need a driver's license. To obtain a license, follow the steps as described above. Identification will be the lone difference. You will need to provide the following:

Social Security Card
If you are unable to obtain a Social Security card, you must provide two other forms of identification, which include:

An individual tax identification number (ITIN), or a letter from the IRS issuing an ITIN
A Matricula Consular card issued AFTER February 1, 2005 by the Mexican Consulate in Albuquerque or El Paso, Texas
A valid and current foreign passport only if you ineligible for an ITIN or a valid Matricula Consular card
Identity

You must provide one of the following documents:

An original or certified foreign birth certificate, along with English translation
Original copy of an FS545 or FS1350 form, documenting birth abroad and translated into English
An N560 certificate of citizenship
An N550 certificate of naturalization
A valid permanent resident card issued by the U.S. government
A valid I-551 resident alien card that was not issued prior to 1997
A marriage certificate issued by a U.S. state or territory
Proof of Residency if Over 15 Years Old

You must provide two of the following:

A bank statement
An employment pay stub, containing your name and address
An insurance statement (car, home, health) documenting current coverage
A property rental or purchase agreement
Any type of utility bill, excluding a cell phone bill
A local property tax statement
A local mortgage document
Documented proof of having a child enrolled in New Mexico's school system
A current and valid motor vehicle registration certificate
A New Mexico medical assistance or public assistance card
An original document from a New Mexico community organization, or from a city, county, state, tribal or federal government organization confirming that you a New Mexico resident

Fees
There is a nominal fee for applying for a new license, and an option to make a small donation to various charitable funds. For a four-year license, you will pay $18. An eight-year license costs $34.

If you are applying for a license after having yours revoked for a DWI, you must pay a reinstatement fee of $100 in addition to the license fee.

Although citizens over the age of 75 are required to renew their license yearly, their application fees will be waived.

For additional information about your driver's license application, go to the official New Mexico MVD Web site.

http://www.dmv.org/nm-new-mexico/apply-license.php


New Mexico's State ID:

State-issued ID cards are used as a primary proof of identity by those who do not have other means to do so. In most cases, citizens use their driver's license to prove who they are and how old. However, some people do not possess a driver's license, yet they need a valid ID?such as when they open a bank account or write a check.

Having a form of identification that you can simply carry in a wallet or pocketbook is essential in today's world. Passports tend to oversized, and not everybody has (or needs) one. Birth certificates lack the obvious photo requirement, and a Social Security card will not get you very far either.

The state ID card is a great alternative. It has all the benefits of a driver's license, minus the driving. Besides the aforementioned bank dealings, having an ID will get you onto an airplane and into the hottest club in town.

Minors who are too young to drive can also opt for an ID card. They can get one without parental consent unless they choose to register as an organ donor.

http://www.dmv.org/nm-new-mexico/id-cards.php

Want To Cross The Border? Bring ID
New Rules For Crossing Border From Canada And Mexico; Officials Downplay Travel Delays
Comments 93
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 31, 2008

(CBS/AP) New rules for the types of identification U.S. and Canadian citizens must present to cross into the country went into effect Thursday and authorities were optimistic the changes wouldn't cause significant delays.

Under the new rules, people will no longer be allowed to simply declare to immigration officers at border crossings that they are citizens, said Jayson Ahern, deputy commissioner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Instead, those 19 and older will have to show proof of citizenship - a passport, trusted traveler card or a birth certificate and government-issued ID such as a driver's license.

"We'll be asking those who cross our borders to present to us secure, more reliable documents to prove citizenship and to confirm their identity," said Ahern, who is heading a national effort to call attention to the changes.

cont.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/ ... S._3774873



Related to obtaining New Mexico Driver's Licenses:

National Fake-ID ring exploited New Mexico’s lax driver’s license rules
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-114493-mex ... cense+scam

Two arrested in Artesia in driver's license scam
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-114771-dri ... cam+mexico

Local Latin American advocacy group supports driver licences for illegals
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... c&p=696452

Tennessee says illegal immigrants can marry
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-116766-mar ... ce+license