Democracy for New Mexico

Dialing for Election Reform

From Bob, Charlotte, Leland and All:

Hi All,
House Voters & Elections Committee discussed HB1063 for a time this ayem but postponed action until it meets following the House Floor Session.

As of this time SJC Sub SB 678 had not been considered on Senate Floor but may be considered later in the day.

Since we are down to the last few days of the Legislature, it's best now to call your own lawmakers and any others that you can, but surely the leadership of  both houses, urging them all to support HB1063 and SJC SB678.

Senate leadership is President Sen. Ben Altamirano of Silver City at 986-4733; Dem Majority Leader Sen. Michael Sanchez of Belen at 986-4727; Repub Minority Leader Stuart Ingle of Portales at 986-4702.

House Side: Speaker Ben Lujan of Santa Fe 986-4782; Dem Majority Leader Rep. Ken Martinez of Grants 986-4777; Repub Majority Leader Ted Hobbs of Albuquerque at 986-4757.

ACTION ALERT: Call Reps about HB1063

On the House side of the election reform bill voting, Rep. Sandoval's office says the NM House Voters & Elections Committee will meet tomorrow (TUESDAY) at 8:30 AM in Room 305 to consider HB1063.

Meanwhile, PHONE PHONE PHONE the legislators and urge them to support HB1063. Every call has an effect on how they vote!

Click to find members of the NM House of Representatives.

ACTION ALERT: Call Democratic Senators Re SB678 on Election Reform

I have just heard that the Committee Substitute SB678, the omnibus election reform bill sponsored by Senator Linda Lopez, will not be heard on the Senate Floor tonight. It will probably be heard tomorrow morning, Tuesday, March 15. However, as I'm sure you're aware, this can change.

You are urged to contact all the Democratic Senators tonight or early tomorrow morning to urge passage of SB678. It's down to the wire, and I have been told that it's extremely important that Senators hear from us NOW.

Click to find the contact information for all Democratic Senators.

More On Republican Walk-Out On Election Reform Bill Hearing

From Sonja Elison of Help America Recount and New Mexico Democratic Friends:

With only a week left in New Mexico's legislative session to clean up the election process, the Republican Party has suddenly made all election reform come to a screeching halt. New Mexico ranked second only to Ohio in the drama and questions surrounding the 2004 Presidential elections and despite a vigorous effort by Help America Recount to look into what researchers called "stunning irregularities" in the election, Governor Bill Richardson chose to pursue comprehensive election reform through the legislative process rather than the investigative process of a recount. After months of negotiating with Republicans and citizens of all parties in the state, however, the Republican Party has thrown into doubt its claims of innocence and its protests that it too wants an accurate and fair election system by in effect killing the Governor's election reform legislation by walking out of the House Voter and Elections Committee rather than allowing the Governor's omnibus election bill to pass.

The following Press release was issued by the New Mexico House of Representatives and is in no way associated with "Help America Recount" or "New Mexico Democratic Friends".

State of New Mexico House of Representatives Press Release
Paul Carbajol 949 246 3592, Alan Oliver 505 553 0759, Victoria Chavez 646 241 5335

Republicans walked away from Voter Identification and Election Reform. Today in the House Voter and Elections Committee the Republican Causcus left the Committee, ending the quorum and ending discussion of Chairman Sandoval's omnibus election reform bill 1063, carried for Governor Richardon. Republicans are not in favor of election reform. Their walkout means that New Mexico can no longer move forward on voter identification, assuring a voter verified, auditable paper trail, and qualfication of provisional ballots, said Chairman Sandoval.

"I'm very disappointed. I felt our subcommittee of Republicans and Democrats had worked together very well over the last week, finding compromises on a number of issues including voter identification and porovidsional ballot qualification," stated House Majority Leader Ken Martinez. "We made a concerted effort to work across party lines on this." Again, I think it shows that their endless drumbeating on voter id is really just noise."

"It's only the people of New Mexico who lose when their Representatives can't work together." stated Speaker Lujan.
**********
Editor's Note: You can easily send an emails or faxes urging your lawmakers, House/Senate leadership and committee members immediately to support two key bills, Senate Judiciary Substitute Bill for S.B.678, and H.B.1063. Click to visit the VerifiedVoting.org action page.

MoveOn Call-In Day for Fair Judges Set for Wednesday

From MoveOn PAC:
This weekend, we heard from congressional sources that Republicans are closer than ever to the number of Senate votes they need to use the "nuclear option"—paving the way for the appointment of truly extreme right-wing judges. With enough of an outcry, we can stop them. But we need to move fast to get the word out and demonstrate to our senators broad-based opposition to this dangerous measure. So our call-in day comes at just the right time.

This message contains essential info for Wednesday's massive national call-in day (which we described during last week's parties). It also addresses some of the most frequent questions you mentioned in the post-party survey, including how to get involved in Operation Democracy, our big new campaign to fight the right and elect progressives, if you didn't make it to a party. If you're waiting for details on the call-in days—or feeling confused more generally—please read on!

1. The call-in day is on Wednesday. We moved it to Wednesday because Senator Byrd of West Virginia, one of the Senate's most distinguished statesmen, has agreed to headline a MoveOn member rally in Washington, D.C. to coincide with the call-in day (if you live in the D.C. area you'll get a separate message about this event).

2. Materials and instructions are ready. You will find everything you need, including complete call-in day instructions, a flyer for your area with the appropriate senators' names and numbers, a sample script, how-to's and issue info at:

3. If you're a team leader, register your team now. It's easy. You'll be asked for a team name, the area your team will cover, and a description. Don't worry too much about these -- you can change them later. Then you can enter your team members' names and info, or send them a link to sign up themselves. Just click here to start:

4. If you want to participate in Operation Democracy, our new progressive campaign, please join a team or start your own. You can find a team near you by entering your zip at the link below. You can also start your own team, which can be public (other members can find it and ask to join) or private (only people you invite can join). And it can start as small as one or two people. Click here to find or start a team:

Election Bills Today

From Bob Walsh of United Voters of NM:
The Senate floor session is set for 9 AM this morning, with SB678 as fifth on the list of bills, probably not to be considered before 10 AM.

The Senate Rules Committee is scheduled to meet at 8 AM.  The agenda on the website has not been updated since Friday and does not contain any bills of interest.  However, the agenda that was posted on the wall for the Sunday meeting, which was canceled, did contain SB1065 (McSorley) as the 3rd item, but contained neither the Task Force bill (HB) nor the moratorium (HB).  Even if they use Sunday's agenda, they may not get to SB1065.  In fact, they may want to wait on that one to see if SB678 gets through the Senate.

The House Voters and Election Committee does not show anything for today on the web site. This week, of course, all schedules are subject to change by announcements on the floor or on the loudspeakers. In fact, while this letter was being composed, the web site seems to have crashed temporarily.

Republicans Walk Out of House Elections & Voters Committee to Halt Election Reform Bill: Time Getting Short

From Dory Shonagon:
NM House Bill HB1063, the Governor’s bill supporting V.V.P.B. and Audits, was second on the House Voters & Elections Committee agenda today. Just as Rep. Sandoval was getting ready to present it, with amendments that the Republicans in subcommittee worked on and agreed to, all five of them got up and walked out in protest. The Committee thus lost its quorum and all action had to be stopped.

It was clear that the Republicans simply did NOT want the bill to pass the committee. This last drastic action of delay did indeed delay the bill for at least another day. And of course we are running out of time as the Legislature ends on March 19.

After the Republican walkout, the Democrats on the Committee held a press conference in the Rotunda, where many of our people-citizens got to speak as well as the House Dems on the Committee. Television media was there, including Albuquerque's Channel 7, and it will most likely be on the news tonight or tomorrow, as well as in the morning papers.

On the Senate side, once Senate Judiciary Substitute Bill SB 678 is passed on the Senate floor, which looks likely for tomorrow, it will go to the House. It is likely to be referred to the Voters and Elections Committee, where things can be difficult with Rep. Madalena ill and with the normal 8-7 split in favor of the Democrats not there. Still there is a chance the bill could pass the House Elections committee, go to the House floor, pass there and finally go to the Governor for his signature. Of course the delaying tactics being employed by the Republicans make it more difficult.

What is working in our favor is that Governor Richardson seems to very much want a comprehensive election reform bill to emerge under his leadership -- if not in the regular session then perhaps in a special session later this Spring.

As things stand, Tuesday may well be our key day. If the Senate bill passes Monday on the Senate Floor, it would probably be heard in the House Elections Committee on Tuesday. If it passes there, we have a chance to have it voted upon on the House Floor Wednesday or Thursday.

We'll try to keep you posted as soon as we hear what's going on.

Senate Election Reform Bill Switched to Monday

From Bob Stearns:
Hi All, Latest word from Senator Lopez's office is that the Senate Judiciary Substitute Bill 678 will not be considered tonight (SUNDAY) on the Senate Floor and will be postponed until tomorrow (MONDAY). We will notify you as soon as we see the Senate Floor Calendar for tomorrow on the Legislature's website www.legis.state.nm.us.

Sorry about all this and the always late notice but that is the way the Legislature works. And this is why your PHONE CALLS TO LAWMAKERS are important. Click to find your Senator and his or her phone number.

Critical Sunday Hearings on Election Reform Bills

From Charlotte, Wayne and Bob:

On the Senate Side:
NM Senate Judiciary Committee Substitute 678 (Election Reform) is number 6 on the Senate Floor Agenda which begins at 12:30 PM on Sunday, March 13, 2005. Senator Linda Lopez, the sponsor, has asked that we have people in the gallery to show support for the bill.

On the House Side:
The NM House Voters & Elections Committee did not meet on SATURDAY morning as scheduled and finally announced late that day that it will meet on SUNDAY at 10 AM in room 309 to consider HB1063, the Governor’s bill supporting V.V.P.B. and Audits. Some 10 activists turned out Saturday and please come Sunday if you can.

THESE ARE THE MOMENTS OF TRUTH. PLEASE MAKE YOUR PHONE CALLS AND SHOW UP AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

Election Reform Progress

From Bob, Charlotte, Wayne and the rest of the Roundhouse gang:

The Senate Judiciary Substitute Bill SB 678 passed and was sent to the Senate floor at about 5:15 PM FRIDAY. Vote was 5-4 on party lines.

Repubs complained they had not received the latest version of the bill in time for their analysts to examine. Their opposition was focused on what they see as weak Voter ID provisions but Sen. Payne said he supported Voter Verifiable Paper Ballots (V.V.P.B.). Senators Sanchez and Grubesic said they supported the bill in committee but were undecided whether they’d do so on the floor, because they saw Voter ID changes as not needed.

SB678 may be brought up on the Senate floor on SUNDAY SO IT’S TIME NOW TO ESPECIALLY CALL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT SB678. If passed it has to go through the House within the week. Some 15 activists attended the Judiciary Committee meeting today..

NEXT UP FOR V.V.P.B. IS HB 1063 TO BE HEARD AGAIN AT THE 8:30 AM SATURDAY MEETING IN ROOM 305 BY THE HOUSE VOTERS & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE. PLEASE TRY TO BE THERE. THE COMMITTEE NEEDS TO SEE NEW FACES THERE FOR OUR SIDE. Best, Bob, Charlotte, Wayne and the rest of the Roundhouse gang. .