Status of NM Dem Prez Caucus: Calling All Albuquerque Area Dems

Nancy Denker of Focus Ink and other vols processing provisionals

Volunteers are still needed from now until at least Tuesday to help count New Mexico Caucus provisional ballots. The task is taking place at the offices of REDW, located at 6401 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 (map), (505) 998-3200. Please call Robert Adams at (505) 975-8780 if you'd like to volunteer for a shift. 

Netroots Challenge to Democrats: The dozens of volunteers, judges and staffers who are taking shifts -- sometimes very long ones -- processing and qualifying Caucus provisional ballots at REDW for 16 hours a day can get very hungry and thirsty. Can we help keep them hydrated and fed? Are you up to the challenge? Whether you can devote some time to the provisional ballot process or not, think about bringing over a donation of fruits, veggies, cheeses, crackers, juices, soft drinks, munchies, pizza, sandwiches or whatever strikes your fancy.

If you'd like, call Robert Adams at 975-8780 to see what's needed, or just stop by with the goods. You know what they always say about Democrats -- we may not always be superbly organized but we do have a tradition of supporting one another. (Hat tip to Anni Smith for the suggestion.)

Where Do We Stand in the Count?
Yesterday the Chairman of Democratic Party of New Mexico Brian Colón announced that the Party had initiated the qualification of provisional ballots. This is the process of assuring that voters are registered and have not already cast a ballot. Earlier Saturday, the Party completed the processing of the provisional ballots, and has already completed the canvass of regular and absentee ballots. 

"Saturday, with the work of scores of volunteers, we began qualifying provisional ballots to ensure that every vote counts," said Chairman Colón. "Voters waited for hours to send a message that's its time for a change in the White House, we must work for hours and days, to make sure their vote counts. Through this qualification process, we will assure that every registered voter's ballot will be counted."

With the help of several dozen volunteers working on several shifts covering 16 hours per day, the Democratic Party of New Mexico has completed the following phases within the vote-counting and certification process:

• Established an agreement with ground rules between the two parties;
• Completed the scanning of more than 137,000 voter signatures;
• Completed the counting of more than 141,000 regular and absentee votes; and
• Processed over 17,200 provisional ballots, which is the first step before qualifying and tabulating the provisional ballots.

"Some may criticize our agreement with the two campaigns for being too inclusive, but the rules of the caucus, and the Democratic Party of New Mexico are built on inclusion," said Colón. "We fundamentally believe that every registered vote should count. The Democratic Party and the two campaigns have an agreement based on inclusion."

The Democratic Party of New Mexico will continue working through the weekend approximately 16 hours per day until the election results are certified.

All photos taken at REDW on Saturday, February 9, 2008 by M.E. Broderick.

To read our previous coverage on Democratic presidential primaries and caucuses, visit our archive.