FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17 February 2022
Contact: Alex Curtas, Director of Communications New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office 505-469-2783 alex.curtas@state.nm.us
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver Responds to Partisan Filibuster that Blocked Critical Voting Rights Legislation
SANTA FE – Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver released the following statement today as Senate Republicans in the New Mexico Legislature prevented debate on and then killed a critical election security and voting rights bill:
“I’m extremely disappointed in today’s partisan filibuster by Senate Republicans that killed a critical bill for New Mexico’s voters and election administrators. Senate Bill 144 included important provisions to streamline election administration procedures that had buy-in from across the political spectrum. This bill would have protected election administrators from threats and intimidation, provided automatic address updates from the MVD, training for poll challengers, and allowed for the submission of electronic nominating petitions, among much more. Many of these provisions were specifically asked for, and needed by, election administrators across the state. The bill also included a number of popular voter access provisions like protections for Native voters, a voluntary permanent absentee ballot list, and the restoration of voting rights for the formerly incarcerated. Now, instead of a comprehensive bill that would have advanced voting rights and election security in the state, voters and election administrators get nothing. Though New Mexico’s voting and elections are already considered some of the best and most secure in the nation, there’s always more work to do and I will work tirelessly to pass these policies in a future legislative session.”
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