New Mexico AG, Secretary of State issue voter advisory for Nov. 3 general election

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on Tuesday issued a voter advisory in advance of the Nov. 3 general election reinforcing practical information and voter rights.

“Every eligible voter in New Mexico has the right to cast their ballot safely and freely, without being intimidated, threatened, or coerced,” the advisory reads. “Voting is our most fundamental right and New Mexico’s laws protect voters, poll workers, and election officials to maintain safety and order in and around the polling place. Voter intimidation and discriminatory conduct, as well as obstruction or interference at the polls, is illegal under federal and New Mexico law.”

The advisory follows the Trump administration’s failed efforts to obtain voter rolls from New Mexico and other states; thwarted bids by Trump to restrict mail-in ballots; and amid ongoing concerns by states about federal interference during the midterm elections. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation intended to prevent troops or other law enforcement from interfering in the state’s elections.

New Mexico’s advisory includes key dates and information about voting, as well as information about law enforcement’s role at polling places and prohibited activities and people at both polling and drop-box locations. 

“This joint advisory is an essential tool in helping New Mexico’s voters make a plan to cast a ballot,” Toulouse Oliver said in a statement. “Now more than ever, New Mexicans are being bombarded with misinformation about how to participate in our elections and about the security of the process.”

The Secretary of State’s Office also launched a “good questions” campaign in September aimed at countering election misinformation, and has an election fact-checking site online.

“The right to vote is a fundamental right at the heart of our democracy, and every American must be able to exercise that right without intimidation, interference, or coercion,” Torrez said in a statement accompanying the new advisory. “The New Mexico Department of Justice has worked to protect voters and uphold the integrity of our elections, and we will continue to enforce the law when those rights are threatened.”

A news release about the advisory notes that it “underscores the fact that all registered voters have a right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering them or telling them how to vote” and advises those experiencing or observing interference should notify the presiding job at the polling location or call NMDOJ at 1-800-477-3632.