Tuesday, October 9, 2012

(SANTA FE)---Recent reports of poll-challenger training in Sandoval County have prompted a full investigation by Attorney General Gary King who is simultaneously exploring available sanctions against those found guilty of voter suppression tactics.

“I will not tolerate voter suppression efforts by anyone, period,” says AG King. “We have received a number of complaints since last Friday that there seems to be a concerted effort afoot to discourage some New Mexicans from exercising their right to vote this November. My office is committed to helping ensure fair elections by working to put an immediate stop to such misinformation and publicly correcting what has already been disseminated.”

By definition, voter suppression is any attempt to influence elections by discouraging or actually preventing people from going to the polls. Last week a Sandoval County GOP official reportedly told trainees, among other false information, that they could ask voters to present identification in order to vote.  New Mexico law does not require ID to vote.

“It’s against New Mexico law to check for ID,” New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce told a Denver, Colorado reporter last week.

AG King is calling upon Governor Susana Martinez and NM Secretary of State Dianna Duran to join him in repudiating voter suppression tactics and to work together to ensure fair elections in New Mexico.

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