Democracy for New Mexico

Republicans Explain What Happened

Click on image for larger version or click here for source.

Of course New Mexico Democrats have some explaining to do ourselves. It's frustrating, to say the least, to witness the defeat of NM-01 congressional candidate Patricia Madrid despite the incredibly low poll numbers for Bush, the Republican Congress and the Iraq occupation. It's equally confusing to ponder the loss of long-time environmental champion Jim Baca in the land commissioner race to a guy who took almost a million dollars from big donors in the oil and gas industries. How could voters who overwhelmingly support land preservation, alternative energy and green ecological strategies help elect Pat Lyons, who is in-your-face opposed to these approaches? Inquiring minds want to know.

UPDATED: Madrid Concedes

UPDATED HERE AND BELOW: The Patricia Madrid campaign held a press conference at DPNM headquarters in Albuquerque this morning and conceded victory to Heather Wilson. No recount will be requested. According to a report on the Albuquerque Journal website, Madrid won't ask for a recount but the Democratic Party of NM may ask for a limited hand tally:

But state Democratic Party Chairman John Wertheim said he still is considering asking for a hand tally of 2 percent of ballots in the district's precincts to test the accuracy of the new optical scan tabulators.

Madrid, New Mexico's attorney general, said she decided against a recount because she felt it would not change the outcome of the election.

After the final canvass found several small errors, vote totals in the NM-01 congressional race between Dem challenger Patricia Madrid and Repub incumbent Heather Wilson were as follows:

Wilson: 105,921
Madrid: 105,046

The final margin was 875 votes among approximately 211,000 ballots cast, or under 0.5%.

ANOTHER UPDATE 11:52 AM: According to the Albuquerque Tribune:

Democrat Patricia Madrid, defeated by incumbent Republican Heather Wilson in the 1st Congressional District, conceded Tuesday, saying a recount would cost too much and there was no guarantee it would change anything.

She said the cost of a full recount could be as high as $250,000 to $300,000 across the 1st district, which includes parts of five counties, and that the Democrats didn't have enough money.

She also said there is no evidence a recount would reverse the outcome of the election.

Madrid said Wilson's margin was less than one-half of 1 percent, which in other states might have resulted in an automatic recount, but said the cost in New Mexico was prohibitive.

"If only one person in each precinct had voted for me instead of my opponent, I would have prevailed," Madrid said.

UPDATE 2:53 PM: A new Albuquerque Tribune article quotes Madrid on her future in politics. Excerpt:

"Whatever I do, if I look at it, will very likely be a statewide race," she said.

"Certainly, I don't ever want to run for attorney general again, because I don't believe in going backwards in your life," Madrid said. "But there are only two statewide races that I think would be higher and that's, of course, governor and Senate."

Asked whether voters can expect to see her on a ticket in 2010 with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Madrid replied: "I won't say in what order."

The article also quotes Madrid on why she may have lost:

Madrid also attributed her loss, in part, to being outspent.

"That buys a daily barrage of negative advertising to your mailbox, daily on the television. Go back and look at how much more television she had than I did, how much more mail-outs she did, how much more field operation is funded. It simply comes back to money."

... What could Madrid have done better?

"Started earlier, raised more money, not been so timid on my last debate," she said. "I think I did well in my first debate, but I don't think that was the defining moment."

Support Voter Action Investigation of Missing Votes in FL

Submitted by Terry Riley: Please take a few minutes to read the following message about a nonpartisan investigation of Sarasota, Florida undervotes. I fully endorse this organization and this action. I have given a donation and ask that you please consider doing the same. The actions of Voter Action are in no small way connected to the success of the paper ballot issue in the NM Legislature. Please go to their web site and click on the donate tab on the left side of the web page. This is a great opportunity.

From Voter Action:
Voter Action Co-Director and election law attorney Lowell Finley has been in Sarasota since November 9th, investigating the 18,000 missing votes from Florida’s District 13 congressional race in that county. Today, Voter Action is pleased to announce that the People for the American Way Foundation, the ACLU of Florida, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Common Cause are joining this effort on behalf of the voters of Sarasota County, regardless of party affiliation. Based on previous experience and success in the courts to block the use of electronic voting systems across the U.S. and the strength of our new partners, Voter Action is well poised to move this investigation forward and , if as it increasingly appears will be necessary, to file suit to get to the bottom of what happened.

The purpose of this investigation and potential legal action is to 1) Get to the bottom of what happened through legal discovery 2) File legal action on behalf of the voters of Sarasota challenging the validity of the election if need be. 3) Protect the integrity of future elections in Sarasota County, the State of Florida, and the nation.

But in order to do this we need your help. Voter Action needs to raise funds very quickly to continue its work in Sarasota. Even with the legal and organizing assistance of our new partners, we must raise an estimated $45,000.00.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to shed light on the continuing election crisis that plagues Florida, to expose the problems inherent in electronic voting systems, and to demonstrate the harm that can be caused by elections officials with a pro-vendor and anti-voter bias.

Please donate now and share this email with your friends!

Because we are working on behalf of voters and not a candidate or political party, all donations are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law and can be made through our fiscal sponsor, the International Humanities Center, a 501(c)(3) organization through the Voter Action website.

Voter Actionemail: info@voteraction.org
phone: 206-723-1941
web: https://www.voteraction.org

NM-01 Unofficial Tally: Wilson by 879 Votes

According to the Albuquerque Tribune, the canvassing in NM-01's congressional race between Dem challenger Patricia Madrid and Repub incumbent Heather Wilson is due to be officially finalized sometime today. The last unofficial tally showed a win for Wilson by a mere 879 votes among the 210,953 cast, or less than half a percentage point. Wilson got a total of 105,916 votes to Madrid's 105,037. This race was so close that a switch from Wilson to Madrid of only 440 voters who cast their ballots would have made Madrid the victor. That's approximately one vote per precinct.

Check out what Jerry Ortiz y Pino has to say about some of the possible reasons for the Madrid loss. He speaks for me, at least on one aspect of the campaign -- getting Dem absentee ballots returned to the County Clerk. Rocket science, no. Simple common sense, yes. It's hard to believe that campaign organizers couldn't get at least some of the more than 7000 Dems who had absentees sent to them and failed to return them to do so before the deadline. As Ortiz y Pino says, it wouldn't have cost a dime.

Meanwhile, the Madrid campaign hasn't yet conceded and there's still some talk of requesting a recount, depending on what DPNM Chair John Wertheim and Madrid decide. A complete recount would cost approximately $30,000 according to the Bernalillo County Clerk. Unlike many other states, where automatic recounts are conducted and paid for by the state if vote differences are under a certain margin, those requesting a recount in NM-01 would have to bear the cost. If the recount resulted in a change in the winner or election fraud was discovered, that money would be refunded.

CELEBRATE! Valle Vidal Protection Act Clears Senate!

Another plus emerging from the change in direction provided by the midterm election? Senator Domenici finally gives in on protecting the Valle Vidal from drilling now that his tenure as chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is ending with Senator Jeff Bingaman scheduled to take over the post when the new Congress convenes in January. Also, didn't the Coalition for the Valle Vidal and many other activists do a terrific job on this? Persistence wins the day.

From the  Coalition for the Valle Vidal: NM Senator Tom Udall’s Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 cleared the U.S. Senate Floor late last week by unanimous consent. Now it's on the the President's desk. Below are two articles on our amazing victory. Congratulations to all of you!

Santa Fe New Mexican excerpts:

The Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 -- authored by U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M. -- cleared the Senate floor late Thursday night. U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., announced his decision earlier in the day to support Udall's measure, after months of intense political pressure from all over New Mexico. Hunters, anglers, Republicans, Democrats and environmentalists lobbied Domenici relentlessly to protect the national forest property, famous for its high mountain valleys, rambling forests and elk herds, from development.

"We're very confident the president will sign it," Domenici spokesman Chris Gallegos said. "It moved very quickly. Everybody is pleasantly surprised."

"Countless New Mexicans have worked tirelessly to ensure the permanent passage of this bill is a testament to their efforts," Udall said Thursday night.

Domenici's move appears to be related to a separate bill, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act. That bill would open large parts of the continental shelf to oil and gas development.

"I have been concerned about being perceived as pushing for or even forcing energy production in other states while saying 'not in my backyard' in New Mexico," Domenici said. "However, at this point, I believe we can, and should, try to enact the Valle Vidal Protection Act."

... The fact that Domenici made this move now is relevant because he won't be in the majority much longer. For now, he chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. But when Congress meets again next year, the chairmanship will go to U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., as a result of last week's election, which changed the majorities in the Senate and House.

If The Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 becomes law, it would be one of Udall's most noteworthy accomplishments since arriving to Congress in 1998.

"This was truly an effort that rose from the ground up," Udall said in a statement. "Community members living near the Valle, sportspeople from around the country, and (Boy) Scouts who come every year to earn natural resources stewardship badges in the Valle Vidal all worked together to express their desire that this unique piece of land and its unparalleled wildlife populations be protected in perpetuity."

Click for additional coverage in the Albuquerque Journal. Also this month's issue of Orion magazine has a nice profile on the effort to save the Valle Vidal.

Hold Howard Accountable: Sign the Card

I'm sure by now you've heard about James Carville's nasty comments about Howard Dean's performance as DNC Chair. Yes, it's terrible indeed when Dems win 30 or so House seats, regain the Senate and take back 6 governorships, many more state legislatures and a myriad of local offices across the nation. According to the arrogant and misguided Carville, who's married to one of worst examples of Repub rightwingnuttery in the form of Mary Matalin, Dean should be "held accountable" for us failing to win 50 House seats. He's traveling the chattering class circuit proclaiming that Dean should step down as DNC chair because his record at the DNC is "Rumsfeldian." Guess Carville is jealous that people are now paying more attention to Dean's 50-state strategy than they are to him and his outdated advice. Below is a post on the matter by Jim Dean, Howard's brother, who heads Democracy for America. 

Posted by Jim Dean on DFA's Blog for America on Friday, 11/17/06: This is truly a great country.  Where else can you work on one successful election in 1992, lose for the next fourteen years, and still get press? You got to hand it to James Carville; he can still get ink.  But maybe we’re the only ones that can’t remember James Carville predicting that the Democrats should easily gain 50 seats in the House BEFORE the election.  So why should that stop him from insisting that we should have won 50 seats AFTER the election?

I agree with a powerful and important guy like Jimbo. Howard should be held accountable. Hold him accountable for putting resources into Montana, where Jon Tester won a critical Senate seat. Hold him accountable for supporting Jerry McNerney in California, who ousted Richard Pombo. Hold him accountable for helping state parties nationwide to support competitive campaigns in places where Democrats haven’t won for years. Hold him accountable for helping return checks and balances to what was once a rubber stamp Congress.

Today is Howard's birthday. Tell him that you know our success was a direct result of his strategy and the work of activists at the local level:

https://www.democracyforamerica.com/happybirthday

Send your message of thanks and support to Democracy for America's founder and sign the birthday card today. Howard put the strategy in place.  But it was you who powered the effort in so many ways. We've got the power!

*********************

Where it all began: Dean for America Meetup back in the days of the 2004 presidential primary season on Albuquerque's West Side with Dr. Ken Harper's Deanmobile van. Many grassroots and netroots activists motivated by Dean's fresh approach back then are continuing today, active in almost every aspect of progressive and Democratic politics. Thank you Howard!

Remember: From Dean's electrifying early speech out in California in March 2003 that got so many of us off the couch and into political activism:

What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the President's unilateral intervention in Iraq? ... As Paul Wellstone said, I'm Howard Dean, and I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.

... I want my country back! We want our country back! I am tired of being divided! I don't want to listen to the fundamentalist preachers anymore! I want America to look like America, where we are all included, hand in hand. We have dream. We can only reach the dream if we are all together - black and white, gay and straight, man and woman. America! The Democratic Party!

Here's an audio version of the speech.

The Meetups continue with our monthly Albuquerque DFA-Democracy for New Mexico Meetups. Join us.

In My Absence: Thanks!

From Barb: I wanted to stop by and thank everyone for all the kind words and thoughts I've received during my ongoing illness. A special note of appreciation also goes out to those who are keeping the site going with posts and comments in my absence. As many of you know, I came down with viral meningitis and went to the emergency room on the Sunday before election day -- not exactly the type of ending to election season I had anticipated. Instead of working on GOTV all day and then waiting for results with my fellow Dems, liveblogging from Victory HQ and celebrating our many victories, I was feverishly incoherent, hooked to an IV and on strong pain meds as the returns rolled in. Not very festive!

I was released from the hospital last Wednesday, November 8th, and am recovering at home. Mary Ellen, Bosco, Sunny and the parakeets have been wonderful. I've been ordered to stay in bed, get plenty of rest, and drink lots of fluids. You know the drill. I'm still on heavy duty pain meds, but I'm feeling better by the day and the worst is definitely over. Healing from this illness takes time so I'm still unable to resume blogging regularly, but I wanted check in with you in the meantime. Thanks again for hanging in with us. Let's hope Patricia Madrid can pull out a victory to make things even better. It can still be hard for me to believe that we now control both the U.S. House and Senate! --Barbara

What is happening on the election front?

Submitted by Terry Riley

You can read the normal slew from the media on what part of the count is or is not ready and such.  They spent time this weekend giving time to petty arguments between party officials.  The coverage is extremely normal.  There is a story that is boiling under the surface and I am having a terrible time getting it out into the open.

I participated in the absentee ballot counting in the warehouse on Wednesday morning.  I witnessed serious counting irregularities and serious procedural problems, which are described elsewhere on this web site.  I am now trying to get somebody to react to the questions/challenges that I have presented.

I have been interviewed on KUNM and the interview is available on their web site.  If you go to:  https://www.kunm.org/news/current/index.php?id=EEyFkZEFZAYjthITZc  I was also interviewed by KRQE and KOAT but I did not see the interview on the 10 PM news that night.  I also was interviewed by the Journal and Tribune but have seen nothing in the papers.

I have given a summary of what I witnessed to representatives of both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.  In addition I contacted the District Attorney’s office.  They sent a person to investigate.  He may have spent a whole hour at the warehouse.  He feels that the system wide over marking of tally sheets was just a small error and that there was no indication of intentional election fraud!  I keep trying to explain to people that when you find a problem of inaccuracy that is evident on nearly all precinct tally sheets that you have a systemic problem and a thorough investigation should be performed to find out how it happened and to make ABSOLUTELY sure that the count is accurate.  I know that it is not!

I am still looking for an avenue that will net results.  I have made this information available to Patricia Madrid and I have spoken with a Republican State Representative who is as upset as I am about the problem. 

If anyone has examples of things that they saw while counting, observing, judging, or challenging I would like to ask you to please add it to the response of this story.  We will get this taken care of.  It will require more people getting involved.

Terry Riley

PUBLIC HEARING : Albuquerque Public Financing

SHORT NOTICE FOR THIS EVENING FROM MATT BRIX:

Please join Common Cause and other interested parties for a public hearing about the new Albuquerque public financing system.  The hearing will take place in City Council chambers, beginning at 4:00 P.M. TODAY, 11/13/06.  See for more information.

Executive Director
Common Cause New Mexico
P.O. Box 4067
Albuquerque, NM 87196-4067
(505) 323-6399
mbrix@commoncause.org

ELECTION FRAUD IS WMD

Below is a comment that was on a previous post.  It was so interesting I thought it would be good to have it be a new post of its own for discussion and information.  If any one has any new news on the local NM CD1 race please pass it on.

Ps; the webmaster is still out of commission. Soon to return.  This is done by the co-webmaster.

Institutional Election Fraud is Weapon of Mass Destruction- by Kautilya Hegel
November 13, 2006, Philadelphia, Monday, 1:00 PM.

(1) FAULTY ELECTION PROCESS: The vested interests might have compromised the faulty election process in major democracies of the world, namely, USA as well as India, which allows those empowered to supervise the Election process might conspire the election process to deny the Third Party and Independent Voters their fair share of political power and election victories. If entrenched interests continue to sabotage the free and fair election system in India and USA to keep the entrenched politicians in power, then the Democracy as an institution is under grave threat in USA and India.

(2) ELECTION FRAUD IS WMD: The institutionalized election frauds, carried out by those responsible for the free fair and impartial conduct of Elections in USA, Russia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia and etc., presents greatest threat to human civilization in 21st century. Election Frauds in major democratic nations allow mediocre less competent leadership capture levers of political power in USA as well as India, scuttling the rise of Civilization States of USA and India.

(3) OUTDATED CONSTITUTIONS: Every constitution of democratic nations needs a total facelift by New Constitutional Assembly, convened every fifty years. The US Constitution of 1777 and Indian Constitution of 1950 have become outdated and require total redrafting at hands of new Constitutional Assemblies. United States requires a Federal Election Commission, responsible for the conduct of the entire election process in Federal, State and Local Elections. The 4500+ County Canvassing Boards allows party officials appointed by the two major parties, hijack the will of the people. In India the practice of appointing government officials in election commission requires scrutiny. The Electronic Voting machines without a paper trail operated and managed by political party appointed election officials at the County Canvassing Boards made the mockery of American Democracy in election 2006. The two leading political parties in USA as well as India could be part of an organized conspiracy to steal elections.

(4) GLOBAL ELECTION WATCH: USA and India should allow international observers to watch the conduct of elections. Let us debate: Whether the election process in USA or India prone to election frauds and what could be possible remedies. Kautilya Hegel invites International volunteers to supervise elections process and conduct of elections worldwide. Let us create an Election Watch organization in every city of the world, and volunteers for Election Watch worldwide, which would also supervise US Elections of 2008 and next Parliamentary Elections in India.

Professor Kautilya Hegel, Director- Election Watch, Inc.,
KautilyaHegel@yahoo.com,
https://360.yahoo.com/kautilyahegel;
https://360.yahoo.com/electionwatch
https://clearblogs.com/kautilyahegel
https://indiatalking.com/blog/kautilyahegel