NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver testified in front of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, Mar. 28, talking about the rise of election denialism and misinformation. She was one of many election officials that testified.
Toulouse Oliver told the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration that the public’s mistrust about the integrity of elections puts a burden on election administrators. She says her department has seen an increase in frivolous lawsuits and public information requests.
Another large issue is safety, with more and more election workers becoming victims of threats and harassment. This issue has caused staffing problems for polling sites. Election officials all over the country are dealing with these same issues.
“The federal government has an important role to play in assisting states with the conduct of elections, though each state is different, with different needs, and states should continue to be the ultimate authority on running their own elections. But collaboration is key and an entity like the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) provides a great example of how the federal government can help states with election-related needs,” said Toulouse Oliver.
She added that the federal government should look at the recently passed New Mexico Senate Bill 180, which expands voter accessibility and election security, as a model for what should be done nationwide to address these issues.
