Filing: Candidates for the upcoming elections can file with their municipalities on Jan. 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The names of the candidates will be posted by Jan. 7. Those who miss that date can file as write-in candidates on Jan. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Absentee and early voting: Absentee voting begins Jan. 26 and ends Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Absentee voters must fill out an application before filling out their ballots. Early voting begins Feb. 10.

Registering and traditional voting: For those who have not yet registered to vote and want to vote in the elections, the last day to register is Feb. 2. The times for the traditional polling on March 2 will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Municipal boundaries: Voters can avoid making a trip to the polls only to be turned away when they discover they don't live inside the municipal boundaries by making a call their municipality. The numbers to call are 281-1220 for Tijeras, 286-4518 for Edgewood, 832-4406 for Moriarty, 384-2709 for Estancia, and 847-2321 for Mountainair.

On the ballot

Moriarty: The mayor's seat is up for election as are city councilors Larry Irvin and Ted Hart's seats. All are four-year terms.

Estancia: The mayor's seat is up for election, with two four-year term trustee seats, and one two-year term seat. The seats that are up for election are Becky (BJ) Bailey, Sylvia Chavez and Michelle Dunlap.

Mountainair: The mayor's seat is up for election, with two council seats with four-year terms, and the four-year term municipal judge seat.

Tijeras: Three council seats, those of Tina King, Gilbert Gutierrez and George Nuanez, are up for election for four-year terms.

Edgewood: The council seats of Glenn Felton and Rita-Loy Simmons are up four election for four year terms and there will be two bond questions — one for $2.1 million to build municipal facilities and the other for $2.1 million for roads — on the ballot as well.

There will also be a special election in Edgewood for nonresidents who own property and pay property tax in Edgewood to participate in the bond election. They will have to register with the clerk and treasurer for the county in which they pay their taxes. Town Clerk Estefanie Muller said she will have more details about the special election after she receives information from the New Mexico Municipal League.

— Telegraph Staff Report