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NM SUPREME COURT’S REFUSAL TO HEAR REPUBLICAN LAWSUIT OVER ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCESSING POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
COURT’S DECISION RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT JUSTICES WANTING FAIR AND HONEST ELECTIONS
Albuquerque, October 27 — Today the New Mexico Supreme Court refused to hear a lawsuit filed by RPNM, GOP leaders and four County Clerks involving absentee ballot processing violations.
This decision--with no explanation by the Court--is not only a slap in the face to the minority party but suggests that the Court has turned a blind eye to justice and the integrity of the voting process. For the sake of New Mexico voters, it’s flabbergasting that Justices wouldn’t want to examine ballot-processing infractions with so much at stake on November 3.
The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit because such integrity has been stained: some counties had denied Republican poll challengers the right to perform their duties by taking absentee ballots behind closed doors. By law, poll challengers are entitled to be a part of this verification process, something not enforced by the Secretary of State.
We need transparency in our elections and the law to be followed. County workers in the shadows, out of sight, handling absentee ballots is not legal, open or transparent. It’s shameful the Court didn’t see these violations as something to address.
The partisan decision by the Supreme Court is shocking to say the least. Why wouldn’t the Court hear a case that cries out for fair and honest elections? Is there something to hide? The politics of this bad decision stinks of a Court willing to sweep election integrity under the rug for political gain.
The following is a statement from Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Peace on the Court’s decision:
“It’s very disappointing and, in fact, dangerous that the Supreme Court would not address an issue as serious as election integrity. It appears that politics continues to play a role in our courts. It’s sad that the Justices will not take up a lawsuit that’s so critically important to ensure everyone’s ballot is accurately identified and verified. This is not about Democrats or Republicans but about the integrity of our voting process.”
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