Election Day 2010 seems to be rolling along smoothly in New Mexico Reporters are reflecting on past elections and checking in on poll site activities across the state.
Here’s a sampling:
Early voting in New Mexico ended on Saturday and the numbers show that statewide early and absentee voter turnout is up from our last midterm election in 2006. Steve Terrell has the details on increased early and absentee voter turnout in Santa Fe.
Overall, election officials and veteran pollsters are predicting that turnout may top 60%, which is up from 52% four years ago.
Save for a few minor incidents, current reports show that voting lines and poll site activities across the state are moving along slow and steady.
One of the more interesting pieces of poll site news is boiling up from down south. In Dona Ana County, Republican poll challengers have been “reprimanded” for “acting inappropriately” at 6 different poll locations. The New Mexico Independent reports:
“There have been incidents at six precincts,” Chief Deputy Clerk Jimenez said. “At three locations, gentlemen were trying to handle voters’ ballots. At one, he was hovering by the scanner machine and took ballots, and then he — the challenger — placed ballots into the scanner for the voters. …At one location, Tom Baugh Elementary, a challenger was attempting to assist voters. Challengers are not allowed to act as poll workers like that.”
At other precincts, poll challenger repeatedly demanded that poll workers require photo identification from voters, Jimenez said
“They were disruptive and extremely rude,” Jimenez said. “They told poll workers that they had to take ID from voters.”
Apparently matters escalated to the point that police were called to remove disruptive GOP poll challengers at two different locations in Las Cruces.
If you’re interested in real time Election Day coverage, be sure to check out the New Mexico Independent’s General Election Liveblog here.
