Democratic polls are showing that many of the statewide races are so close that they are within the margin of error. With so many close races, and a brand new untested paper ballot system in place, common sense would dictate that the Secretary of State would want to require a “random voting system check” to help ensure that votes are counted accurately – in other words, an independent audit.
Consider this from an Albuquerque Journal article (subscription):
Gov. Bill Richardson earlier this year pushed the Legislature for a paper-ballot law, promoting it is as a way to recapture public confidence in elections.
A separate law passed last year and signed by Richardson requires a “random voting system check” to help ensure that votes are counted accurately, but it doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1.
New Mexico is using the new paper-ballot system for the Nov. 7 general election without having first tested it in a lower-turnout election, such as June’s primary elections.
Democratic Secretary of State, Rebecca Vigil-Giron, is thumbing her nose at New Mexicans and the Legislature by taking advantage of the legal loophole to avoid an independent audit. She has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on self promoting media ads, yet she won’t spend a couple hundred thousand to insure the integrity of this election. An election that everyone agrees is going to be very close.
It looks like the only public confidence that will be boosted is the confidence that corruption, fraud and deception are alive and well in New Mexico politics.
Update: For an opinion from the left on the “integrity” of this year’s voting process, here is a link to a liberal who just voted.