REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO A VERY IMPORTANT EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS OUR NEW MEXICO SECRETARY OF STATE, MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>MAGGIE: OH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, LORENE, AS ALWAYS.

>>LORENE: WELL YOU ARE USUALLY A BEACON OF KNOWLEDGE FOR US ON EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR NEW MEXICO ELECTIONS AND WE WILL COME TO THAT AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TODAY I HAVE INVITED YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT SOME NATIONAL ISSUES.

YOU WERE ELECTED IN 2016, YOU ARE A CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER.

WE ARE SO PROUD THAT NEW MEXICO IS KNOWN FOR ITS ELECTION INTEGRITY AND YOU WERE THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ALL THE SECRETARIES OF STATE, SO WITH THAT BROADER BASE THAT YOU OPERATE ON, I NEED TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NATIONALLY.

>>MAGGIE: GREAT.

>>LORENE: AND IT IS THIS WEEK, ONE YEAR SINCE THE FAMOUS 2020 ELECTIONS.

THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH FALLOUT, BUT IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER WHAT IS CALLED "THE BIG LIE."

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND ALL THE SUSPICION THAT HAS BEEN THROWN ON OUR ELECTIONS.

OUR ELECTIONS ARE A WORK OF GENIUS.

AND SO CAN YOU REPORT TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU DURING THE LAST ELECTION BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS IN NEW MEXICO.

AND THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING NATIONALLY WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, THANK YOU.

>>MAGGIE: SURE, SURE.

WELL FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND YOU ARE RIGHT, I THINK THAT IS SORT OF YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2020 ELECTION I THINK IS GIVING US ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY REFLECT ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR.

AND IN SOME WAYS, JUST THE INCREDIBLY SURREAL THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ACROSS THE NATION, HERE IN NEW MEXICO, AND TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

SO AS I CAME INTO THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION, IT WAS A CHALLENGE, WE WERE CONCERNED PRIMARILY IN OUR OFFICE WITH THE PHYSICAL SAFETY OF OUR VOTERS AND OUR POLL OFFICIALS.

WE HEARD THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF LET'S SAY, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS OF PARTICULAR CANDIDATES GOING AROUND THE STATE AND MAYBE THINKING ABOUT DISRUPTING OUR POLLING PLACES, CAUSING PHYSICAL HARM.

AND WE WORKED TOGETHER CLOSELY WITH OUR FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR GENERAL ELECTION WAS SAFE AND SECURE FOR EVERY VOTER, NOT JUST IN LIGHT OF PHYSICAL THREATS BUT OF COURSE OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

WE CONDUCTED THE TURNOUT WITH THE GREATEST OR THE ELECTION WITH THE GREATEST TURNOUT IN 2020 IN NEW MEXICO HISTORY SAFELY AND SECURELY, WE WERE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

AND THEN AS YOU KNOW ABOUT A WEEK LATER, WELL ACTUALLY NOT A WEEK LATER, SEVERAL DAYS LATER PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS DECLARED THE WINNER AND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS STARTED TO ARISE AS TO THE LEGITIMACY OF THE ELECTION, PRIMARILY POLITICAL QUESTIONS DRIVEN BY THE LOSING CANDIDATE.

AND I AS PART OF A NATIONAL GROUP THAT I AM A PART OF, THE GOVERNMENT COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTIONS, WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO INSURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE MAINTAINED AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THAT WE HAD CONDUCTED THE MOST SECURE ELECTION IN US HISTORY, WHICH IT WAS, OBJECTIVELY.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, I AND MY STAFF STARTED TO RECEIVE A NUMBER OF THREATS TO OUR LIVES FOR QUITE A WHILE FOLLOWING THE ELECTION AND UP THROUGH THE INSURRECTION ON JANUARY 6.

AND WE HAD TO REALLY ADAPT IN LIGHT OF OUR OWN PERSONAL SAFETY DURING THAT TIME AND WE CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO ENSURE OUR PERSONAL SAFETY.

>>LORENE: WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO TO ADAPT AND FORGIVE ME FOR ASKING THIS VERY BASIC QUESTION, BUT WASN'T THERE A LEVEL OF INCREDULITY THAT YOU, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, IN A STATE LIKE NEW MEXICO WOULD BE RECEIVING DEATH THREATS.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH IT IS COMPLETELY SURREAL AND IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SURREAL AND CONTINUES TO BE AND I WILL SAY FOR MY PART, THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN A TARGET OF THREATS, I HAVEN'T HAD IT AS BAD I GUESS IF YOU COULD SAY THAT, AS COMPARED TO A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

MY FRIENDS WHO ARE THE SECRETARIES OF STATE IN ARIZONA AND MICHIGAN, MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS WHO ARE THE SECRETARIES OF STATE IN NEVADA AND GEORGIA HAVE RECEIVED A LOT MORE THREATS AND HAVE HAD TO TAKE A LOT MORE MEASURES TO PROTECT THEIR SAFETY.

BUT EVEN SO, HERE IN THIS STATE, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SECURITY CONSCIOUS AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO KEEP MYSELF SAFE AT HOME.

BUT HAD TO EVEN IMPROVE THAT AND FOR A PERIOD OF TIME I HAD TO PHYSICALLY RELOCATE UNTIL THE IMMEDIATE THREAT HAD PASSED.

WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER WITH FBI AND OUR STATE POLICE, WHO WERE BOTH ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL IN TRYING TO ADDRESS THE THREAT.

BUT IT IS TRUE AND IT IS REAL, IT HAPPENED HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

>>LORENE: YES AND SO THE FBI DID RESEARCH INTO THE SOURCE OF THESE THREATS.

>>MAGGIE: YES.

>>LORENE: ARE YOU FREE TO TELL US WHAT THEY FOUND?

>>MAGGIE: YES, YES.

IT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION.

SO, A LOT OF THE THREATS WERE ACTUALLY PROPAGATED BY THE NATION OF IRAN.

SO AS WE ALL KNOW NATION STATES HAVE DECIDED TO GET INVOLVED IN TAMPERING WITH ELECTIONS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA GETS A LOT OF THE ATTENTION, CHINA IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THE ACTIVITY, BUT IRAN, TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T AWARE THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY VERY ACTIVE IN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, UPROOT OUR DEMOCRACY AND CREATE CHAOS.

AND SO THEY CREATED A WEBSITE THAT TARGETED ME AND SEVERAL OTHER ELECTION OFFICIALS ACROSS THE NATION, BASICALLY DOXING US, WHICH IS TAKING OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION LIKE MY ADDRESS, MY PHONE NUMBER, MY E-MAIL ADDRESS, A PICTURE OF MY HOME, POSTING IT ONLINE AND COLLECTING BITCOIN IN ORDER TO SUPPOSEDLY PAY BOUNTIES FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO GO OUT AND ESSENTIALLY COMMIT VIOLENCE AGAINST THOSE OF US WHO ARE ON THIS WEBSITE.

>>LORENE: IT IS ABSOLUTELY CHILLING.

WE LIVE IN THIS BUBBLE, IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE, AND IT DID HAPPEN HERE AND I AM GLAD YOU HAVE SURVIVED IT.

AND NOW OUR CONCERN, WE WILL GET BACK TO SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS IN OTHER STATES, BUT HOW DO YOU KEEP THIS NOW THAT THE ELECTION IS OVER AND THINGS HAVE SETTLED DOWN, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ELECTION COMING IN A YEAR AND SO HOW CAN WE PROACTIVELY PROTECT OUR ELECTIONS OFFICIALS?

>>MAGGIE: WELL THANKS FOR THE GOOD QUESTION AND YOU KNOW HERE IS THE THING, IT IS NOT JUST SECRETARIES OF STATE AROUND THE COUNTRY, IT IS COUNTY CLERKS AND LOCAL COUNTY AND CITY ELECTION OFFICIALS, IT IS OUR POLL WORKERS, RIGHT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE KEPT SAFE.

SO THERE IS A HUGE INITIATIVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, JUST LIKE WE DID POST 2016 WITH REGARD TO CYBER SECURITY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE DOJ AND THE FBI, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF ELECTION OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS.

YOU KNOW AND THAT INCLUDES OUR FRIEND, MOM, NEIGHBOR, WHO SERVES AS A POLL OFFICIAL WORKING ONE DAY.

DOJ AND FBI HAVE CREATED A TASKFORCE TO ADDRESS THREATS TO ELECTION OFFICIALS AND, OF COURSE, WORKING WITH OUR DHS PARTNERS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO BEEF UP THE PHYSICAL SECURITY THAT WE HAVE AT ELECTION OFFICES AND POLLING LOCATIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS WE NOW HAVE SOMETHING CALLED "A VIRTUAL SITUATION ROOM."

ON ELECTION DAY AND DURING THE ELECTION PROCESS, MY OFFICE, THE STATE POLICE, FBI, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER IN KEEPING IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO ANY POTENTIAL THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY ON ELECTION DAY.

BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR US TO ALL COLLECTIVELY WORK TOWARD MOVING FORWARD.

>>LORENE: SO SOME OF THE LEVELS OF OVER ZEALOUSNESS ON THE PART OF ELECTION WORKERS, NOT ELECTION WORKERS BUT VOLUNTEER POLL WATCHERS, I HAD HEARD THAT IN THE LAST ELECTION THERE WAS A VERY FIERCE POLL WORKER WHO HAD INTIMIDATED AN AUTISTIC 18-YEAR-OLD, HER FIRST TIME TO VOTE, AND HE REDUCED HER TO TEARS.

BY CALLING HER OUT AND QUESTIONING HER AND QUESTIONING HER AND THEN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DID COME IN AND ESCORT HIM OUT, BUT THE DAMAGE IS DONE.

WHAT WILL SHE THINK ABOUT VOTING FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE?

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO THAT IS JUST A PERSONAL THING.

THEN THERE ARE THE THREATS, WHEN WE SPOKE ANOTHER YEAR AND YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THIS COMMISSION THAT YOU ARE ON WITH HOMELAND SECURITY, IT WAS COMPLETELY ABSTRACT.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND NOW, YOU WERE A TARGET.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH.

>>LORENE: AND SO I AM GLAD YOU ARE NOW REALLY ABLE TO TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED.

WELL, THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING TO ANYBODY ELSE.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT AND YOU KNOW THE REALITY AGAIN IS IT IS NOT JUST ME, YOU KNOW, IT IS ELECTION OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS.

AND ON THE ONE HAND, I WANT TO ASSURE THE FOLKS WHO WORK THE POLLS HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WORKING THE POLLS IS EXTREMELY SAFE AND IT IS SUCH A GOOD WAY TO WORK FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND TO DO YOUR CIVIC DUTY ON ELECTION DAY.

AND THE THING THAT FOLKS NEED TO KNOW IS THAT WE ARE JUST TAKING THAT SO INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE AGAIN, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT ME.

IF IT WERE JUST ABOUT ME, YOU KNOW, I AM A TOUGH COOKIE, NOT THAT MY SAFETY IS ANYTHING TO BE GLIB ABOUT, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY'S SAFETY HERE AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE ARE PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.

>>LORENE: AND WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY?

>>MAGGIE: OH GOSH, THE STORIES FROM MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW ARE IN MANY CASES QUITE TRAGIC.

MY COLLEAGUE, JOCELYN BENSON WHO IS THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN MICHIGAN, LITERALLY CAN'T LEAVE HER HOME WITHOUT POLICE PROTECTION.

SHE HAS A YOUNG CHILD AT HOME, NOT A WEEK GOES BY WHERE THERE ISN'T SOMEBODY THAT SHOWS UP WITH A GUN OUTSIDE OF HER HOME OR SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT.

MY COLLEAGUE KATY HOBBS IN ARIZONA THE SAME THING.

AND AS I MENTIONED IT, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT JUST DEMOCRATS, IT REPUBLICANS.

MY DEAR FRIEND, BARBARA CEGAVSKE, WHO IS THE NEVADA SECRETARY OF STATE, HER BIGGEST CONCERN HAS BEEN THE THREATS THAT HAVE COME IN TO HER STAFF.

AND SHE SAYS THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT YOU KNOW IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT FOCUSING ON HER, IT IS ABOUT FOCUSING ON THE STAFF AND OF COURSE BRAD RAFFENSPERGER IN GEORGIA REALLY HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH UNTOLD SCARINESS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

>>LORENE: BUT NOW GEORGIA IS IMPANELING A SPECIAL GRAND JURY, BECAUSE WHEN THE FORMER PRESIDENT CALLED UP AND SAID, "I WANT YOU TO FIND 11,780 VOTES."

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: TAPE RECORDED.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND HE HAD HIS HENCHMEN CALLING THE GOVERNOR, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IT WAS A FULL COURT PRESS TO TRY TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS AND SO WE WILL SEE WHAT THE GRAND JURY DOES.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO DISINFORMATION IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.

>>MAGGIE: YES.

>>LORENE: SO WE HAVE TO FIGHT IT ON SO MANY LEVELS, YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.

IT HURTS ME SO MUCH THAT THE WHOLE PROCESS, EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ELECTIONS NOW, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO SAY, "STOP THE STEAL" AND TO QUESTION THE OUTCOME OF ANY ELECTION EVER.

SO, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH NEW MEXICO'S SECRETARY OF STATE, MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER.

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO YOU, I AM HOPING YOU CAN ADVISE US HOW CAN WE FIGHT THIS DISINFORMATION, I MEAN I AM SUCH AN OLD SCHOOL GIRL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT CIVICS BACK IN SCHOOL.

>>MAGGIE: YES.

>>LORENE: SO PEOPLE WILL LEARN HOW THINGS WORK AND THAT THEY REALLY DO WORK, INSTEAD OF THINKING, OH ELECTION INTEGRITY HAS BECOME A BUZZ WORD NOW AND AS YOU SAY, WE HAVE BEEN THERE, WE HAVE DONE THAT.

>>MAGGIE: WE HAVE BEEN DOING ELECTION INTEGRITY FOR A LONG TIME HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

>>LORENE: SO HOW CAN OUR SYSTEM RESIST THIS INFECTION OF DISINFORMATION SUSPICION AND TELL ME.

>>MAGGIE: WELL, THAT IS THE MAGIC QUESTION, THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE ARE ALL THOSE OF US WHO ARE WORKING IN ELECTIONS, CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIALS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, ARE ALL TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS HOW SECURELY ELECTIONS ARE ACTUALLY RUN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENCOUNTER A LOT IS, WELL I TRUST HOW WE ARE RUNNING ELECTIONS HERE IN NEW MEXICO, BUT I DON'T TRUST HOW THEY ARE BEING RUN ELSEWHERE, RIGHT?

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR A LOT OR "I TRUST MY COUNTY CLERK, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY TRUST THE OTHER COUNTY CLERKS IN THE STATE."

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS ELECTION OFFICIALS, IS SPEND EVEN MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW DOES THE ELECTION SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORK.

TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WITH A REALLY ROBUST CIVICS PROGRAM IN THE ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EVEN I DIDN'T KNOW THE LEVEL OF DETAIL ABOUT HOW ELECTIONS WORKED, BUT FRANKLY, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.

MOST PEOPLE WAKE UP ON ELECTION DAY, FIND THEIR POLLING PLACE, GO CAST THEIR BALLOT, LEAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE TOO LONG, THEY DON'T HAVE A BAD EXPERIENCE.

THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW, THEY DON'T SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE, SO TO SPEAK.

I MEAN ELECTIONS ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLEX, THEY INVOLVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, TONS OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS AND TONS OF STATE STATUTES AND SECURITY PROCEDURES THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE, RIGHT?

THEY ARE THE INVISIBLE THINGS THAT WE ALL DO TO SECURE THE INTEGRITY OF AN ELECTION, SO MY JOB IS TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW SECURE THEY ARE HERE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF TALKING ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT WE DO AND HAVE DONE IN NEW MEXICO, POST-ELECTION AUDITS, SINCE 2008, THAT ARE INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED BY AN AUDITOR THAT IS NOT PART OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT, TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY CLERKS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOTES ARE COUNTED CORRECTLY.

>>LORENE: MAY I JUST COMPLIMENT US ON HAVING PAPER BALLOTS.

>>MAGGIE: WELL THAT'S THE KEY.

>>LORENE: UNHACKABLE.

>>MAGGIE: PAPER BALLOTS ARE THE KEY, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE RECORD TO GO BACK TO.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE PHYSICAL RECORDS, ANY HUMAN CAN DO IT.

THEY DID IT IN ARIZONA, EVEN THOUGH THAT AUDIT WAS REALLY QUESTIONABLE THAT WAS CONDUCTED THERE, BUT THEIR PAPER BALLOTS DIDN'T LIE.

>>LORENE: IT WAS CALLED A FRAUDIT, THAT THEY WERE UNDER BLACK LIGHT LOOKING FOR BAMBOO FRAGMENTS BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THESE HAD BEEN IMPORTED FROM CHINA.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND IT WAS JUST REALLY DISHEARTENING.

FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS GIVING A SPEECH LATELY AND HE EVEN SAID, "I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF SAYING, IF I LOST AN ELECTION, HECK NO, I WON IT!"

YOU KNOW.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND SO WE COULDN'T HAVE PREPARED OURSELVES FOR THE BIG LIE.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: WE HAD ALL THE NUMBERS, THERE WAS AN ELECTION OF INCREDIBLE INTEGRITY, NATIONALLY.

>>MAGGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: AND YET HERE COMES AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO GO ALONG WITH THE BIG LIE, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THEM, EVEN LIZ CHENEY WAS SAYING THE OTHER DAY THAT THEY KNOW IT IS NOT TRUE.

>>MAGGIE: WELL YOU KNOW THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT THAT I LOVE TO POINT OUT IS, WELL I WAS ELECTED AND MY ELECTION WAS LEGITIMATE, BUT THIS OTHER ELECTION WASN'T, RIGHT?

AND IT SORT OF LIKE WE WANT TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS AND THE TRUTH IS THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT YOU ARE QUESTIONING THE ELECTION.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH.

>>LORENE: YOU WEREN'T OFFICIALLY ELECTED EITHER.

>>MAGGIE: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: IT IS CRAZY, IT IS JUST UNUSUAL TIMES, THE CHINESE CURSE, MAY YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES.

AND WE HAVE TO BE REALLY RESOURCEFUL AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS FOR US, OBVIOUSLY, EDUCATION IS A BIG ONE AND THEN COMBATING DISINFORMATION WHICH IS ANOTHER ELEMENT.

>>MAGGIE: SO JUST A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS AND FOLKS MAY HAVE ALREADY HEARD THESE BEFORE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS, IS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ABOUT WHERE, WHEN AND HOW TO CAST YOUR BALLOT, WHAT THE RULES ARE, WHETHER THINGS ARE OPENED OR CLOSED, COMPLETELY IGNORE EVERY OTHER SOURCE OF INFORMATION BUT YOUR CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIAL, YOUR SECRETARY OF STATE, YOUR COUNTY CLERK.

IF YOU SEE INFORMATION THAT SOUNDS CONCERNING OR TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, DOUBLE-CHECK IT, I'LL GIVE A GREAT EXAMPLE.

IN THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION THERE WAS A VIRAL FACEBOOK POST THAT EARLY VOTING WAS GOING TO CEASE AS OF OCTOBER 15 BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD ORDERED THIS.

COMPLETELY UNTRUE, BECAUSE OF COURSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT YOU KNOW THIS HAD CIRCULATED TO I THINK ALREADY HAD ABOUT 40,000 VIEWS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SHARES BEFORE WE CAUGHT IT AND WERE ABLE TO PULL THAT INACCURATE INFORMATION DOWN OFF THE WEB.

SO AGAIN, ESPECIALLY BEFORE YOU SHARE SOMETHING, RIGHT, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, CHECK IT WITH A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY YOUR STATE ELECTION OR COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS.

>>LORENE: BUT THERE WAS A FAMOUS STORY IN THE SOUTH, WHERE NOT ON THE INTERNET, BUT THEY PUT OUT THE WORD THAT THE ELECTION DAY HAD BEEN MOVED TO WEDNESDAY.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S CLASSIC, RIGHT?

>>LORENE: YEAH AND SO.

>>MAGGIE: CLASSIC DISINFORMATION.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH, SO JUST NEVER TRUST IT UNLESS YOU ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE, THAT'S THE BEST ADVICE THAT I CAN GIVE AND YOU KNOW, I ATTENDED A CONFERENCE RECENTLY WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MIS AND DISINFORMATION AND HOW TO COMBAT IT AND AS SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE OR IF IT IS TOO BAD TO BE TRUE, DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

YOU KNOW, WHERE DID IT COME FROM BEFORE YOU RESHARE IT OUT TO EVERYBODY.

>>LORENE: WELL, NOW WE WILL GET TO OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.

>>MAGGIE: OKAY.

>>LORENE: THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT, BECAUSE MY HEAD HAS BEEN SPINNING ABOUT IT.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH.

>>LORENE: BUT, USUALLY WE DO A SHOW BEFORE THE ELECTION AND YOU TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING.

NOW WE WILL LOOK BACK, HOW DID THIS ELECTION GO.

>>MAGGIE: SURE.

>>LORENE: WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT OFFICE PRIORITIES, AND WHAT IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT LEGISLATURE THAT CAN MAKE YOUR JOB BETTER?

>>MAGGIE: GREAT, QUESTIONS.

SO WE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL STATE-WIDE, REGULAR LOCAL ELECTION, OUR SECOND SINCE THAT BECAME LAW AND AS YOU KNOW, LORENE, THAT MEANS WE ARE CONSOLIDATING ALL OF OUR NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS ONTO ONE BALLOT.

SO EVERY NOVEMBER, THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY, WE HAVE AN ELECTION.

THIS REALLY REDUCES FATIGUE FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED, VOTERS, ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, YOU KNOW ONE COUNTY HAD CONDUCTED ELEVEN SEPARATE ELECTIONS IN THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOSH.

>>MAGGIE: BEFORE WE PUT THIS LAW INTO PLACE AND THAT IS JUST HARD ON EVERYBODY.

SO, IT WAS SUCCESSFUL WE HAD ABOUT A 20 PERCENT VOTER TURNOUT AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT 20 PER CENT VOTER TURNOUT.

AND THE GLASS HALF EMPTY WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS, WELL GOSH, WE HAD 70 PERCENT TURNOUT IN OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND ONLY 20 PERCENT IN THIS, THAT'S REALLY SAD.

THE GLASS HALF-FULL WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS THAT YOU KNOW THESE ELECTIONS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I WAS COUNTY CLERK IN BERNALILLO COUNTY, WE WOULD HAVE BETWEEN THREE AND SIX PERCENT TOTAL TURNOUT IN A SCHOOLBOARD ELECTION, WELL NOW WE HAVE 20 PERCENT, YOU KNOW, THIS LAST CYCLE, RIGHT?

SO WE ARE ELECTING FOLKS WITH MUCH MORE OF A MANDATE, FOLKS ARE GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN LOCAL LEVEL POLITICS.

SO WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT, MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE NEED TO CONTINUE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING.

IT TALKS A WHILE TO BUILD UP HABITUAL VOTING PRACTICE.

IN TERMS OF WHAT IS TO COME, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A REDISTRICTING SESSION COMING UP REALLY SOON.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MAGGIE: IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THEN A REGULAR SESSION AND WE DON'T KNOW YET FOR SURE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES.

WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTER ACCESS IN TERMS OF VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS IS SECURE.

WE HAVE SOME GREAT CHANGES FOR 2020 THAT WE WANT TO MAKE PERMANENT, USE OF LAST FOUR OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, TIMELINES.

WE ARE WORKING, YOU KNOW POTENTIALLY, ON SOME EVEN BIGGER EXPANSIONS OF VOTING RIGHTS.

I AM TALKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW ABOUT THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, NEW MEXICO IS A BEACON FOR ELECTION ACCESS AND ELECTION INTEGRITY, WE SEE STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY REALLY TRYING TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR FOLKS TO VOTE.

WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SECURE IT AND MAKE IT EASIER AND THOSE THINGS AREN'T MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, WE CAN DO THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

>>LORENE: I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DELAY IN NOMINATING PETITIONS FOR DISTRICT CANDIDATES BECAUSE THE CENSUS DATA IS GOING TO BE DELAYED.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO THAT.

>>MAGGIE: WELL, IT IS HARD BECAUSE AS YOU POINT OUT DUE TO COVID, THE CENSUS SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED THE DATA TO STATES TO USE FOR THEIR REDISTRICTING PROCESSES, THEIR DECENNIAL PROCESSES THAT THEY DO EVERY 10 YEARS.

WE ARE REALLY LATE IN THE GAME HERE IN NEW MEXICO FOR REDRAWING OUR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, OUR LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO MEET IN DECEMBER IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

AND WE HAVE A FILING DAY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER IN MARCH FOR CANDIDATES WHO ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING IN THOSE DISTRICTS.

SO THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE DISTRICTS ARE BEFORE, WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES, WHO CAN SIGN A PETITION TO GET YOU ON THE BALLOT, RIGHT, WHO LIVES IN YOUR DISTRICT.

SO WE ARE BOUND BY LAW TO WAIT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS AND WE'VE ENCOURAGED THE LEGISLATORS TO HELP US IF WE NEED TO DELAY TIMELINES, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET THAT DONE, NOT JUST FOR THEM BUT FOR POTENTIAL CHALLENGERS AS WELL, CANDIDATES WHO AREN'T CURRENTLY SERVING.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU ARE ALSO DOING SOME THINGS, TELL ME ABOUT REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATION ROLLOUT, BECAUSE TO ME, NOTARIZATION IS THAT YOU ARE FACE TO FACE, YOU SEE THE PERSON.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH.

>>LORENE: SO HOW CAN YOU DO THIS ONLINE?

>>MAGGIE: WELL, SO AS YOU KNOW EVERYTHING HAS BEEN MOVING TO THE INTERNET, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE THING THAT HASN'T AND PARTICULARLY DURING COVID, THE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO NOTARIZE DOCUMENTS THROUGH SOME WEB INTERFACE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF STATES HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THIS AHEAD OF US SO WE ARE ABLE TO ADOPT A LOT OF THE BEST PRACTICES.

BUT BASICALLY, BETWEEN A VARIETY OF SECURITY FORMATS AND FEATURES, THE NEW RULES THAT WE'VE JUST ROLLED OUT IN OUR OFFICE, THERE IS A WAY TO BE ABLE TO SECURELY NOTARIZE DOCUMENTS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, A NOTARY IS ALWAYS GOING TO LOOK AT AN ID AND MAKE SURE, IS THIS IS THE PERSON SIGNING THE DOCUMENT THAT THEY SAY THEY ARE.

WE HAVE A WAY TO DO THAT NOW ONLINE.

>>LORENE: I WILL HAVE TO QUICKLY GO TO JUST ONE THING, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

SO MANY STATES ARE MAKING IT HARDER TO VOTE AND THE NATIONAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP CERTAIN STATES FROM POLITICIZING VOTING SO MUCH SO THAT ONE PARTY HAS CONTROL THROUGH GERRYMANDERING, THROUGH REQUESTING CERTAIN KINDS OF ID.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: IS THERE ANYTHING WE IN ANOTHER STATE CAN DO AS WE WATCH THAT?

>>MAGGIE: WE ALL HAVE TO JUST CONTINUE ENCOURAGING OUR NATIONAL LEADERS TO PASS A NEW VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW VERY BRIEFLY, OUR VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 WAS SEVERELY GUTTED IN A SUPREME COURT DECISION ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, SHELBY VS HOLDER.

>>LORENE: YEAH, OH THERE IS NO MORE DISCRIMINATION.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT AND THE REALITY IS A LOT TO YOUR POINT, LORENE, A LOT OF THE NEW LAWS THAT WE ARE SEEING THAT ARE VERY RESTRICTIVE AS OPPOSED IN TERMS OF VOTING BY MAIL, IN TERMS OF VOTING IN PERSON.

THOSE WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED MUSTER UNDER THE OLD VOTING RIGHTS ACT, SO WE REALLY NEED CONGRESS TO ACT ON THIS.

WE ARE HAVING A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE WITH IT, BUT ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS HERE IN NEW MEXICO WE ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR THE CONVENTS OF THE ORIGINAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND ARE DOING SO.

>>LORENE: IN OUR LAST MINUTE, I THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION.

WHAT DO YOU NEED OUR VOTERS TO KNOW?

>>MAGGIE: OUR VOTERS NEED TO KNOW THAT ELECTIONS IN NEW MEXICO ARE INCREDIBLY SAFE AND SECURE.

NO ELECTION IS EVER PERFECT, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS WORKING ELECTIONS IN NEW MEXICO IS DOING SO WITH INTEGRITY AND HONESTY AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT ELECTION OUTCOMES ARE ACCURATE AND FAIR.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALL RIGHT.

I THANK YOU AND AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER DOING A SHOW AGAIN WITH YOU IN SIX MONTHS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW IT IS GOING.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE PART OF THE OUTREACH AND PART OF EDUCATING AND KEEPING NEW MEXICANS UP TO SPEED.

>>MAGGIE: AND I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT, LORENE.

>>LORENE: WELL IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME, TOO.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, THE NEW MEXICO SECRETARY OF STATE.

THIS WAS JUST A BOMBSHELL SHOW, THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION IN IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR OWN SACRIFICES, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VOTING IN NEW MEXICO.

>>MAGGIE: I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LORENE MILLS AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM