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Category: Editorials Editorials
Published: 01 September 2018 01 September 2018

September 1, 2018

This past week, with less than 75 days to go before the November election, New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver used her office to change the way people can vote in New Mexico. It’s called “straight-ticket voting."

Basically, instead of voting for the person running, you are placing a vote for the party. So, if you vote “Republican Ticket,” every Republican in each of the races gets your vote. If you vote “Democrat Ticket,” each Democrat in every race receives your vote. And this goes on for each of the parties identified by the Secretary of State’s office.

Is this legal? Yes. Is it ethical, transparent and good for New Mexico? To make the change at this late date is very unethical.

In an interview played on an Albuquerque television newscast, our Secretary of State stated making this change will make it easier for everyone to vote. What a load of rubbish! It is pretty darn easy to vote as we have in the past several elections. This is simply another example of our state officials looking for ways to dumb-down the citizens of New Mexico and manipulate voting to give the dominant political party an advantage over other parties and candidates.

Shame on you, Madame Secretary! Once again you have helped promote the fact that New Mexico politics is ranked right up there with our state’s crime statistics… one of the worst states in the Nation.

Scott C. Terry
Arenas Valley, NM