Republicans block debate on Voting Rights Act in New Mexico Senate

[left-of-center2012]

Senate Republicans pulled a legislative maneuver Saturday to block debate on a governor-backed bill advocates say will expand voting rights in New Mexico but that opponents contend Democrats are using for political gain.

The procedure, a stalling tactic known as
a “call of the Senate,” requires every member of the chamber to be physically present in the Capitol for a bill to be considered.

Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, unleashed the maneuver on Senate Bill 8, known as the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, at the start of the floor session before the bill was even brought up for debate.
“Sergeant-at-arms, round up the members and lock the doors,” Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, who was presiding over the floor session, said after Brandt made the motion for a call of the Senate.

Around 3:30 p.m., Stewart said
Sens. Gregg Schmedes, a Republican from Tijeras, and
Jacob Candelaria, an independent from Albuquerque who has missed every day of the 30-day legislative session except one, could not be located. About two hours later, Stewart told senators Schmedes and Candelaria were still missing.

“We still have two senators that are not accounted for, not returning our calls and not contacting [the sergeant-at-arms] when she leaves them a message,” she said.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/republicans-block-debate-on-voting-rights-act-in-new-mexico-senate/article_b5da2c6e-8c1e-11ec-a7a6-7fdb55ece232.html

[comradebillyboy]

1. I really don't know what NM could do to make voting easier.

I just send an email to the county clerk requesting an absentee ballot or I go to one of the many early voting sites.

NM's biggest issue in my opinion is the out of cycle elections for things like school boards or conservancy districts which are never on the November ballots. It's like the State wants to limit voting in the special elections to narrow interest groups.

[left-of-center2012]

2. I agree

I just call the county clerk and they mail me the absentee ballot application.
(I'm in Albuquerque)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. I live in New Mexico,

and they make it amazingly easy to vote. Lots of early voting sites, and you can vote at any location in your county. Tell them who you are and they print up your ballot on the spot.

It's also easy to get and drop off an absentee ballot. The library I go to, the one on the south side of town, now has a permanent ballot drop off box in front.

The governor has proposed making Election Day a holiday. I am very opposed to that, both at the state and national level. A significant number of people don't get holidays off unless it falls on their regular day off. Shift workers, especially those in retail, would wind up working extra, because I can just now see the Massive Election Day Blow Out sales at lots of stores. Sort of like President' Day in the DC area. Those people would wind up being scheduled for a twelve hour shift, and in those truly regressive states with no early in-person voting and no no-excuse vote by mail, would be the worst hit by an Election Day holiday.