Voters in Sandoval County who cast ballots this week might have noticed something missing from the voting experience.
The county’s popular “Red or Green” chile-themed “I Voted” stickers that have become a local tradition in recent elections were not handed out to voters after they did their civic duty.
Instead, the county’s Bureau of Elections opted to use its existing inventory of American flag “I Voted” stickers instead, according to Tina Dominguez, bureau of elections manager.
“That was one question we heard all through this election,” Dominguez said in a statement. “We had a huge inventory of our Flag ‘I Voted’ stickers that we wanted to go through.”
The chile stickers, which play on New Mexico’s official state question “Red or green?” have proven popular with voters. Multiple residents contacted election officials asking why they did not receive the distinctive stickers after voting.
Dominguez confirmed the chile-themed stickers will return for future elections.
“Our Red or Green Chile ‘I Voted’ stickers will be back for our 2026 Primary and General Elections,” she said.
The decision to use existing sticker inventory appears to be a cost-saving measure, ensuring materials already purchased by the county are used before ordering new supplies.
New Mexico is the nation’s largest chile producer, and the red-or-green question has become deeply embedded in the state’s culture.