SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – With the recent passage of the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, lawmakers have sent another election-related bill to the Governor for final approval. Democratic legislators behind Senate Bill 180 call the effort a complementary bill, aimed updating election security.
The bill contains of a myriad of changes, including the creation of a new elections security program and streamlined training for election challengers and watchers. Among other changes, the bill also requires the Secretary of State’s office to create an electronic process for candidates to collect needed signatures during the primary process.
In debate earlier this month, one of the bills two Democrat sponsors argued that many of the items in the bill were “adopted temporarily” during the 2020 election process. The bill passed the New Mexico House Tuesday with a 44 to 25 vote.
The other voting bill, House Bill 4, provides for other changes to election code. If the Governor signs it, New Mexico could see automatic voter registration, an easier path for convicted felons to get their voting rights restored, and the requirement for video-monitored ballot boxes in most counties among other changes.
