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Thursday, June 29, 2006
Mary Herrera Still Dragging Her Feet on Paper Ballots
Current Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera, who is the Dem candidate for NM Secretary of State, has long fought against a paper ballot voting system in our state. When the ultimately successful bill to require paper ballots statewide was being heard at the Legislature early this year, she turned up at hearings parroting Republican talking points against the measure. Although she now claims to back paper ballots, she still seems reluctant to make the switch completely. According to Joe Monahan:
... Indulging in a bowl of red chile as bright as Santa's suit, Mary [Herrera] sent me into blogging overtime as she relayed that she will not, repeat, will not, be using only optical scanned all-paper ballots for the November election.
"We need to tread carefully. The law does not require that every vote be cast with a paper ballot until after this election. I will have at least one paper ballot machine at each precinct, but I will also continue to use the electronic (Shouptronic) machines. It's the prudent thing to do because of the short time we have to train people in the new system and also because of continuing issues with the paper ballot vendor." Informed clerk Mary.
She may take some more heat from fellow Dems who want that all-paper ballot system to ensure that each vote is accompanied by a "verifiable paper trail." It was mandated by the Legislature and pushed by Big Bill, but Herrera, initially opposed to all-paper, but now in favor, appears to have the law on her side and will phase in the system. Stay tuned for more on this one.
Herrera is right that the bill doesn't mandate the machines until next year, but given how hot the issue of flawed electronic voting machines has been here and around the nation, you'd think she'd be working hard to get the problem solved ASAP. Since one optical scanner can easily handle the paper ballots from many voting stalls in a precinct polling place, it's obvious that Herrera could switch over entirely to the new machines if she wanted to. Let's hope she's keeping the Shouptronics on hand merely as a backup, and will ensure that most votes are cast using a paper ballot read by an optical scanner. Ah, hope springs eternal. Or at least for awhile more.
June 29, 2006 at 05:27 PM in Candidates & Races | Permalink
Comments
As important as this November election is, seems that a verifiable vote system would be a goal that any County Clerk would happily embrace. I have worked a lot of elections and always thought well of Mary Herrera, but this issue makes me wonder "what's up with that"?
Posted by: VP | Jun 30, 2006 6:55:47 AM
I heard her a local part of KUNM radio news this morning, after a description of the Brennan report yesterday that all the electronic machines were suspect. They said she had a problem with them accomodating the large number of different ballots in Bernalillo County. Haven't these machines been used for absentee ballots in Bernalillo County for years? And exclusively in 11 or so counties in New Mexico?
Posted by: Michelle Meaders | Jun 30, 2006 8:38:37 AM
I don't want to encourage more people to vote absentee, because the process is complicated, and many people don't complete it or the ballots are disqualified for errors. But what if lots of people insisted on using the paper ballot machine at the polls in November?
By the way, Mary complained on the radio that the machines had been ordered in January (they were supposed to be here for the Primary) and weren't here yet, so she was concerned about time to train poll workers.
Posted by: Michelle Meaders | Jun 30, 2006 9:00:35 AM
Mary Hererra said during the primary campaign that if she was told to count the votes with colored marbles that she would do just that. She doesn't seem to understand that she HAS been told to use paper ballots which is like her colored marbles metaphor, only she doesn't like the color or size of the marbles or that they roll around so much. She campaigned stating that she would use what she was told and now she is arguing that she can't or won't do it. I call that lying to get your vote.
In spite of her campaign for Secretary of State she is currently the County Clerk for Bernalillo County and she is making excuses in advance for not trying to do her job. She is REQUIRED to do her job - no excuses. I would feel a lot better if she was saying that she has concerns or she needs support but that she is going to do her best.
Please do not go back to absentee voting, there are risks that your ballot may or may not get registered and there is NO WAY to know that it was received. You SHOULD vote at the polling place and you should do it on a paper ballot machine. If she doesn't have machines you should request a paper ballot, NOT A PROVISIONAL BALLOT!
You can help to save this election before November but it will take personal involvement and money. Voters in Colorado are suing to block the use of touch screen machines. We could sue to require Bernalillo County to come into compliance with the Paper Ballot Bill from the 2006 Legislature. This has to be acted on NOW!
Come to the July Democracy for New Mexico meeting and lets talk about it.
Terry Riley
Posted by: Terry Riley | Jun 30, 2006 10:57:05 AM
Terry Riley, it is complicated to figure out where you are coming from....please be sure to invite Mary Herrera to your meeting.
Personally Terry, I don't think you have your facts straight regarding the current and existing voting laws.
Mary Herrera is a professional, qualified, and elected Official. Many of us are not certain why she is being vilified and smeared incessantly. Unless it is some sort of political assasination attempt there is little else that can explain why people are unfairly attacking her.
If you want the laws changed you need to direct your energy at Legislators who make the laws....not an elected official who carries them out.
Please work in a positive manner, I am certain that if you do - - you will see positive results.
Thank you for allowing me my "post", Edge
Posted by: Edge | Jul 1, 2006 7:31:43 AM
Edge, it's no mystery. Herrera fought against paper ballot legislation and sided with Republicans on that. Instead of being concerned about getting rid of the machines that have been proved to have many problems and vulnerabilities, she is more concerned about there being more work for her and her workers. She hasn't put counting votes accurately as her first priority.
Her attitude about this continues, as anyone can see from her quote to Monahan. She could have said, well there are problems but I understand how important it is to get the paper ballot process working so I will work hard for that. But no. Instead she remains mocking and seems to take pleasure in dragging her feet on this.
Many, many people worked hard for months and months to get the legislation passed, despite her attempts to kill it. Therefore it's not surprising they have a poor opinion of her.
Posted by: Old Dem | Jul 1, 2006 9:22:58 AM
Hererra- the 2nd worst candidate on the Democratic ticket.
"Mary Hererra said during the primary campaign that if she was told to count the votes with colored marbles that she would do just that." SHE LIED!
Edge- To paraphrase Harry Truman "we just tell the truth and some people think it is vilification and smears."
"Personally Terry, I don't think you have your facts straight regarding the current and existing voting laws." I noticed you didn't point out how his staement of the facts were wrong. As much time as Terry put in at the voter task force and legislative committee hearings, I seriously doubt if he is wrong on the facts.
"If you want the laws changed you need to direct your energy at Legislators who make the laws....not an elected official who carries them out." WE DID - THEY DID - SHE ISN'T!
Posted by: PlacitasRoy | Jul 1, 2006 11:09:50 AM
Thank you Edge and Roy.
It is very good to see that people of opposing views post on this blog. That opens up actual debate. I would like to say in response to your comments about the law. I have been very involved in the changes that have been made in both the 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions and am planning on working more in the 2007 session. I believe that I am working in a positive tone and I agree that is the best way to get anything done.
I am very disappointed that I had to call Mary a lier, but I believe that she lied. She said, in the form of a metaphor, that she would operate and support any election system presented to her by the legislative process and the current election laws. The Shuptronic machines are not legal in the November election under the national Help America Vote Act. The Sequioa machines are challenged by a lawsuit and an injunction that I believe is still in effect. For her to use either machine would be a violation of the law. That would be unprofessional, and I believe, very foolish. Talking about planning to violate the law will make it very hard for any voter to choose her for Secretary of State in the upcoming election.
Now do you understand why I am so concerned about her and her positons?
Terry Riley
Posted by: Terry Riley | Jul 1, 2006 12:45:58 PM
Mary Herrera does not plan on breaking the law. I have never heard her speak a lie. I have witnessed disgruntled losers pick at her, bring up issues that she had nothing to do with, and make ridiculous inuendos that are not true. I know liars who want to see a Republican win the seat because they did not. The smear and untruths need to end and the liars who tell them need to be silenced lest they do more harm than the losers intend.
And Terry I am sorry, no debate has been opened up in regard to Mary Herrera, only attacks and they began when the real liars had the stage and microphone.
Posted by: Edge | Jul 2, 2006 6:37:53 AM
Edge, I don't get you. People are responding to Herrera's statements, what she has had to say and continues to say, not just calling names. You never respond to the points raised but keep on claiming people are picking on her.
The HAVA law prohibits her from using the Shouptronic machines yet she insists she will use them. That is unacceptable and no amount of claiming prejudice on your part will make it acceptable.
It is well known by everyone who pays attention to this issue that Herrera has been against paper ballots from the start, and she still is. It's a fact.
Your only response seems to be to label those who call attention to facts as liars and namecallers. Very juvenile.
Debate the facts and there can be a dialogue.
Posted by: JLC | Jul 2, 2006 10:12:30 AM
To Edge,
To further what JLC said:
We have spoken to the point. You have stated by inuendo. Our attempts to discuss the issues that we are very seriously concerned with Mary Hererra about have been answered by attacking us and possibly misstating our concerns.
Read carefully. Mary Hererra has made many statements against a paper ballot system. She has indicated that she is planning on running the November election with Shuptronic voting machines. Using these machines in November is a violation of the Help America Vote Act.
She has said that she will not have enough time to train people to use the new paper ballot machines. The provisional ballots and the absentee ballots have been scanned by optical scan machines for many years and she has been the Bernalillo County clerk during that time. She and her staff have been working with paper ballot machines for many years.
If she were to express concerns and to ask for support and to explain the dificulties that she envisions then we can come together and work on solving the problem. She has not explained her actions or comments and that has left us distrusting her.
Your comments and your method of attacking the messenger is unfortunately similar to a Republican political nasty trick.
Do you have anything constructive to offer?
Thank you,
Terry Riley
Posted by: Terry Riley | Jul 2, 2006 8:30:44 PM
Yes I always have something constructive to offer...sore losers can be identified by their words. Or how about: if you don't like it, run for the office yourself.
I am finished on this thread as I will not be party to slander and promotion of a Republican candidate on www.democracyfornewmexico.com, especially in the year 2006 .
Peace out.
Posted by: Edge | Jul 3, 2006 7:05:51 AM
It's unfortunate that Edge refuses to discuss the points raised and instead claims that criticism and debate based on facts and what Herrera herself is saying is "slander." You have an open forum here to express otherwise, but all I see is inaccurate attacks. Just for one instance, where do you see any "promotion of a Republican candidate" on this blog?
"If you don't like it, run for the office yourself" is akin to conservatives saying that people who are critical of the war should "love it or leave it."
I find it sad that democratic, open debate about what candidates and/or elected officials are doing and saying is viewed as disloyalty and slander. I guess in Edge's view we should all just be silent and accept whatever is said or done if the person in question is a Democrat.
People who are concerned about our election process have a right and, in my opinion, a duty to question what is being done to follow both HAVA and NM election law. It's also important that voters perceive a desire to follow the SPIRIT of the new laws and in this case with our current County Clerk, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be there. I hope this changes, for the good of all.
Posted by: barb | Jul 3, 2006 10:05:27 AM
