As election season heats up, so does the spread of misinformation about voting processes. The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office is proactively addressing common misconceptions to ensure that Cibola County voters have accurate and trustworthy information.
In a fact sheet circulated by the SOS, questions about the integrity of New Mexico’s elections have been asked, and inaccurate gossip has been shared. To combat the lies being circulated, the SOS addressed several issues:
Invalid Referendum Petitions: The SOS warns that residents should be cautious of invalid referendum petitions circulating in New Mexico. These documents aim to challenge laws from the 2023 Legislative Session but are not recognized legally as they lack certification and approval from the Secretary of State and signature from the Attorney General.
Voter Data Security: Concerns have risen following a court ruling allowing the Voter Reference Foundation to publish New Mexico's voter rolls online. While this includes information like names, addresses, and voting histories, the SOS’ office said sensitive details such as social security numbers and exact birthdates are excluded. For voters enrolled in the Safe At Home program, additional protections keep their addresses confidential, ensuring the safety of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Voting Machine Integrity: New Mexico's voting machines are certified under state and federal guidelines, ensuring they are secure and reliable. The state follows stringent procedures, including air-gapped systems that prevent internet connectivity, further safeguarding against hacking and tampering.
Post-Election Audits: To verify the accuracy of election results, New Mexico conducts independent, risk-limiting audits at both the local and state level. These involve hand-counting votes in randomly selected precincts to compare against machine-counted results, providing a high level of transparency and security.
Voter Roll Maintenance: The maintenance of voter rolls in New Mexico is a continuous process that involves cross-checking data from various sources, including death records and changeof address updates, to keep voter information current and accurate.
Eligibility and Voting Process: Only U.S. citizens who are residents of New Mexico are eligible to vote, and every voter must use a paper ballot, ensuring a physical record exists for every vote cast.
Residents with questions or concerns about their voter information or any aspect of the voting process, the Secretary of State's office encourages direct contact through their Bureau of Elections at 505-827-3600 or via email at Elections@sos.nm.gov.