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New Mexico officials warn of potential disruptions to county-level election certifications
Voters statewide cast ballots last week to decide a number of races and local issues, and now that those votes have been counted, it’s up to county canvassing boards and commissions to complete the legal process of certifying election results. The certification process is typically quick and straightforward, but in recent elections, unfounded fears, conspiracy […]
Know your rights as a voter in New Mexico before you head to the polls
Election Day is here, New Mexicans last chance to have their say in the 2022 midterm election that will decide several important state, congressional and local races. Polling locations across the state have procedures in place to assure that ballots are cast in compliance with federal laws. The Justice Department has even announced plans to […]
Explainer: Certifying results after New Mexicans vote
This summer, three New Mexico counties — Sandoval, Otero and Torrance — thrust the issue of certifying election results into the spotlight by delaying certification of the state’s primary election results. In Otero County, the state Supreme Court even had to intervene to compel the commission there to vote on the matter. NM Supreme Court […]
Fake elector contributions to Ronchetti’s campaign reach $15K
Since announcing his candidacy for governor late last year, Mark Ronchetti has accepted cash donations from three fake electors and one other person who’s accused of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, campaign finance documents show. The Ronchetti campaign has accepted a total of $15,000 from Lupe L. Garcia, Rosalind Tripp […]
Ronchetti accepts donation from yet another fake elector
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti received a cash donation from a woman who was part of an attempt to falsely allocate the state’s electoral votes to Donald Trump, a recently filed finance report shows. The campaign received a similar donation earlier this summer, and so far, campaign officials have refused to respond to questions about […]
Indigenous groups say changes to utility regulation in NM would favor energy companies
New Mexico voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2020 that changed membership on the state’s utility regulatory body from an elected position to one that’s appointed by the governor. A coalition of Indigenous groups is now petitioning the state’s highest court to block the change before it takes effect next year, arguing the amendment’s […]
Couy Griffin attends Otero County Commission meeting as a member of the public after his ouster
The Otero County Commission met Thursday for the first time since former Commissioner Couy Griffin was removed from office by court order earlier this week because of his participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Griffin’s nameplate and chair were both absent from the dais as the two remaining commissioners called the regular meeting […]
Couy Griffin first elected official barred from office for participating in Jan. 6 attack
A New Mexico District Court judge on Tuesday ordered the removal of Republican Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin from his elected position and barred him for life from serving in elected federal and state positions. This ruling marks the first time an elected official is set to be unseated by court order as a result […]
NAACP refutes comparisons of BLM protests and Jan. 6, calls for Griffin’s removal from office
Two prominent advocacy groups are supporting efforts to remove Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin from his elected position and to prevent him from running for any public office in the future due to his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Griffin, a Republican, is the founder of Cowboys for Trump and […]
Ronchetti campaign receives donation from fake NM elector
Gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti received a cash donation from a man implicated in a scheme to falsely award the state’s electoral votes to Donald Trump, a finance report filed last month shows. Lupe L. Garcia and four others signed phony legal documents and submitted them to the National Archives in an attempt to overturn the […]
Vaccines available for children in NM
Parents of children ages 6 months to 5 years can schedule appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations, the New Mexico Department of Health announced this week. Pre-ordered doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines began arriving in New Mexico on Monday and were distributed to clinics throughout the state. The Moderna vaccine requires two doses; the Pfizer vaccine […]
Ronchetti fails to denounce violent extremist groups
During an unprecedented moment in American history Thursday night, television viewers witnessed prime-time congressional hearings probing the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. A key focus of the presentation was involvement of members of alt-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. One week before the prime-time hearing, Mark Ronchetti, […]