♪ MUSIC 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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS, AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

T ODAY OUR GUEST IS MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

WELCOME.

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

>>LORENE: WELL, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

WHAT YOU DO IS SO IMPORTANT, I ALWAYS KIND OF WANT TO GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THE WORD OUT BECAUSE YOU ARE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE.

>>MAGGIE: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: AND UNDER YOUR GUIDANCE, NEW MEXICO WAS AWARDED BY MIT, NEW MEXICO HAD THE BEST ELECTION SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY.

SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US WITH GOOD ELECTION INTEGRITY.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

>>MAGGIE: IT REALLY IS AND I'LL TELL YOU, THAT WAS A HUGE MOMENT FOR NEW MEXICO FOR US TO RECEIVE THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE ELECTION LAB AT MIT.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT YOU DO IS PAPER BALLOTS, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BE HACKED.

YOU CAN'T PROGRAM A VOTING TALLY MACHINE FROM, YOU KNOW, OFFLINE AND FROM THE INTERNET AND CHANGE ALL THE DS TO RS OR RS TO DS.

BUT TELL ME, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WILL WATCH AT THE BEGINNING, I WANT YOU TO TELL PEOPLE WHEN EARLY VOTING IS, WHEN THEY CAN VOTE AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY TO VOTE.

BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM ANN RICHARDS, SHE SAID, "IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE PROBABLY ON THE MENU."

AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT DECIDING WHO OUR LAWMAKERS ARE, YOU MIGHT BE ON THE MENU, YOU MIGHT BE BEING SERVED UP.

YOU MIGHT LOSE SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY PRECIOUS TO YOU OR IT MIGHT BE EXPENSIVE FOR YOU.

SO PLEASE TALK TO US ABOUT WHY TO VOTE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY, THERE'S STATEWIDE GUIDANCE ABOUT EARLY VOTING, BUT THEN THERE'S SOME REGIONAL JURISDICTIONAL THAT I WANT YOU TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT, THANK YOU.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH, NO, FIRST OF ALL, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT THE REALITY IS THAT IF WE ARE NOT VOTING, WE ARE NOT HAVING A SAY IN WHO OUR LEADERS ARE AND WHEN WE DO VOTE, ESPECIALLY IF WE VOTE IN BIG NUMBERS, IN OTHER WORDS, FOLKS COMING OUT FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, LIBERTARIAN, ALL THE OTHER PARTIES WE HAVE IN THE STATE, NO PARTY, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, THEN WE END UP ELECTING LEADERS WHO LOOK LIKE US, WHO HAVE THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE HAD AND CAN BRING THOSE VOICES TO THE TABLE, SO TO SPEAK, IN ORDER TO REPRESENT NEW MEXICAN VALUES.

SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, EVERY SINGLE VOTE CAN DEFINITELY COUNT, ESPECIALLY IN RACES THAT ARE VERY CLOSE, SO WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERY SINGLE ELIGIBLE VOTER.

NOW, EARLY VOTING HAS BEEN GOING ON ALREADY AT OUR COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICES FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT ON SATURDAY THE 19TH, THAT IS WHEN SATELLITE LOCATIONS OPEN UP, ESPECIALLY IN THE BIGGER COUNTIES.

SO YOU MAY HAVE AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION OPEN UP THAT'S CLOSER TO YOU MAYBE THAN DRIVING ALL THE WAY TO YOUR COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.

SO, I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EARLY VOTING.

>>LORENE: SO HOW DO THEY FIND OUT WHERE THOSE SITES ARE?

>>MAGGIE: ALL OF THE POLLING LOCATIONS, WHETHER THEY BE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS OR ELECTION DAY, ARE FOUND ON NMVOTE.ORG, THAT'S NM LIKE (NEW MEXICO) VOTE.ORG.

YOU CAN FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION, A SAMPLE BALLOT SO YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR BALLOT, YOU CAN APPLY FOR YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO WE HAVE SOME TIME LEFT IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

SO JUST HOWEVER YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE GETTING OUT TO VOTE, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT.

>>LORENE: WOW.

I'M JUST SO GLAD, SO YOU SAY THAT YOU CAN REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT ON NMVOTE.ORG AND IT CAN BE SENT TO YOU ANYWHERE.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

IF YOU'RE A REGISTERED NEW MEXICO VOTER AND YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS TOWN OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, YOU CAN GET AN ABSENTEE BALLOT MAILED TO YOU THERE THROUGH THAT NMVOTE.ORG, OUR VOTER PORTAL.

>>LORENE: THE OTHER THING THAT I FIND SO IMPORTANT IS TO GO AND LOOK AT MY SAMPLE BALLOT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME LONG AMENDMENTS, VERY COMPLICATED, YOU NEED TO READ AND READ AND READ.

ALSO, WHO PUTS OUT THAT VOTER'S GUIDE, YOU DO?

>>MAGGIE: OUR OFFICE PUTS OUT THE VOTER GUIDE.

>>LORENE: AND THAT'S VOTE411.ORG/ >>MAGGIE: SO VOTE11 IS LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS BUT WE PUT OUT THE VOTER GUIDE ON ALL OF THE STATE BONDS AND QUESTIONS.

>>LORENE: GREAT.

>>MAGGIE: LISTING THEM ALL OUT AND YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE AT SOS.NM.GOV.

>>LORENE: I LIKE THAT, SOS.NM.GOV, THAT'S GREAT.

BECAUSE SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT ARE PROS AND CONS AND SOME OF US ARE NOT BEARERS OF THE KIND OF BRAIN THAT CAN SIT AND READ TWO PAGES OF BUREAUCRATIC GOVERNMENTESE TEXT AND GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WHAT YOUR SITE OFFERS AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, IT'S IMPARTIAL.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT, EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: THIS IS WHAT IT DOES, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU OR NOT?

>>MAGGIE: EXACTLY.

VOTERS DESERVE TO HAVE COMPLETELY NONPARTISAN INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CANDIDATES, AND I REALLY DO RECOMMEND VOTE411, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS SO FABULOUS, JUST MAKING IT VERY FAIR AND JUST THE FACTS.

>>LORENE: SO THIS YEAR AND ACTUALLY STARTING IN 2020, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW CHALLENGES THAT ELECTIONS OFFICIALS DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SO MUCH.

SOME OF THEM WERE MISINFORMATION, WHICH HAS BECOME A CURSE ON OUR MEDIA, ON OUR CONSCIOUSNESS AND OUR INTELLIGENCE, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CHALLENGES TO A PARTICULAR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S ELIGIBILITY, SHOULD HE BE ON AND THEN THE THING THAT REALLY SCARES ME IS THREATS AGAINST ELECTION WORKERS, DEATH THREATS.

I MEAN, WHEN RUDY GIULIANI LIED ABOUT TWO GEORGIA ELECTION WORKERS, THEY HAD DEATH THREATS, THEY HAD TO HIDE, THEY HAD TO MOVE THEIR FAMILIES.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE BAR FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS BECOME DISTURBINGLY LOW AND WE REALLY CAN'T TOLERATE THAT, BUT MEANWHILE, WE HAVE TO PROTECT OURSELVES.

THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST IS THE BIG LIE.

SO, TALK TO ME ABOUT THE BIG LIE AND BECAUSE IT'S TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE THAT DON'T BELIEVE THE ELECTION RESULTS, SOMEBODY YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IS MESSED WITH THIS, YOU CAN'T TRUST IT.

AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS DOUBT AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PROTESTS AND SOME ELECTIONS WILL NEVER GET RESOLVED BECAUSE OF THESE ONGOING LAWSUITS.

SO, WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT?

>>MAGGIE: WELL, I WISH I HAD A MAGIC WAND AND COULD JUST GET RID OF ALL THE MYTHS AND DISINFORMATION OUT THERE.

I THINK MY FELLOW ELECTION OFFICIALS AND I, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO COMBAT THE MYTHS AND DISINFORMATION THAT IS OUT THERE ABOUT THE ELECTION PROCESS.

WE WORK EXTREMELY WELL TOGETHER TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS REAL, THIS IS NOT REAL.

GO TO YOUR TRUSTED SOURCES OF INFORMATION, IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR SECRETARY OF STATE OR YOUR COUNTY CLERK, YOUR LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL, TO FIND OUT THE ACTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AS YOU KNOW, LORENE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE CREATED THE RUMOR VERSUS REALITY PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.

WHEN WE ARE HEARING AND WHEN WE ARE SEEING MYTHS OR DISINFORMATION AND WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE SAY THAT.

RUMORS SOMETIMES THEY'RE AN ACCIDENT, SOMETIMES A PERSON PUTS SOMETHING OUT THAT IS UNINTENTIONAL AND THEN SOMETIMES IT IS INTENTIONAL.

IT IS INTENTIONAL TO DISCOURAGE OR DISMISS OR DISSUADE INDIVIDUALS FROM CASTING THEIR BALLOT.

SO, WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>LORENE: AND YOU'RE DOING IT IN REAL TIME.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: YOU HEAR THIS RUMOR AND WHAMMO, REALITY VERSUS RUMOR.

>>MAGGIE: RUMOR VERSUS RUMOR VERSUS, YES.

>>LORENE: THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE, IMMEDIATELY.

SNUFF IT BEFORE IT GETS LEGS AND WALKS.

>>MAGGIE: AND, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS THAT THEY DO GET LEGS AND WALK AND USUALLY IT'S ONLY UNTIL IT'S OUT THERE, NOT JUST ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S GOING AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA AND SO WE ALSO COMBAT THAT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, PUTTING OUT ALERTS, LETTING FOLKS KNOW RIGHT AWAY.

YOU CAN FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK AND FORMALLY TWITTER SO YOU CAN LOOK FOR THOSE SITES.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IS THIS REAL, IS THIS THING ABOUT ELECTIONS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN REAL LIFE OR IS THIS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WRONG OR FALSE OR INTENTIONALLY SO, GO TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

>>LORENE: BUT THE QUESTION CAME UP WHO WOULD EVER BELIEVE SOMETHING AS RIDICULOUS AS IMMIGRANTS EATING PETS IN SPRINGFIELD AND THAT WENT LIKE WILDFIRE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYTHING, IT WAS A COMPLETE LIE, A TOTAL BALD-FACED LIE.

AND YET, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, PEOPLE WE WERE JUST TRYING TO PUT OUT FIRES EVERYWHERE, IT'S NOT TRUE.

THE MAYOR OF SPRINGFIELD, THE GOVERNOR, EVERYONE CAME OUT AND SAID IT'S COMPLETELY NOT TRUE, STOP IT.

>>MAGGIE: WE'RE IN SUCH A CRAZY TIME.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW IT AND WE ALL FEEL IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AROUND THE CORNER, I HAVE A SAYING THAT I'VE HAD FOR MANY YEARS, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS LORENE, BUT THIS IS MY FIFTH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT I'VE EITHER RUN... >>LORENE: CONGRATULATIONS >>MAGGIE: THANK YOU OR OVERSEEN AT THE STATE LEVEL.

IT'S KIND OF MIND BOGGLING TO ME, BUT I ALWAYS CALL IT THE CIRCUS COMING TO TOWN BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH WACKINESS AND CRAZINESS AND WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SUSPEND OUR DISBELIEF, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, AND SO OF COURSE, A RUMOR LIKE THAT SPREADS AND UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE DO BELIEVE IT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS DON'T, BUT WE DO NEED TO BE OUT THERE AND ESPECIALLY AS TO THE MECHANICS OF ELECTIONS AND HOW WE RUN THEM, WE HAVE TO BE REALLY FOCUSED AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING CORRECT INFORMATION OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN THESE QUESTIONS ARISE.

>>LORENE: MY GOODNESS.

THERE'S ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE LAST ELECTION, IS THE ISSUE OF FAKE ELECTORS STILL IMPORTANT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ANSWER, SO I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU AGAIN.

WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, OUR SECRETARY OF STATE, ABOUT SO MANY CHALLENGES AND ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP.

YOU HAVE A HARD JOB AND AS MIT ACKNOWLEDGED, YOU'RE DOING REALLY WELL AT HANDLING IT.

BUT YOU WONDER, LIKE YOU SAY WITH THESE THINGS, WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT?

WELL, PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE IT AND SO YOU HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD.

TALK TO ME ABOUT THE FAKE ELECTORS ISSUE THAT CAME UP IN THE LAST ELECTION, DECEMBER 2020.

THERE WAS AN ISSUE, DID REPUBLICANS COME TO THE CAPITOL AND WERE DENIED ENTRY, DID THEY TRY TO SAY THAT THEY WERE THE REAL ELECTORS, BECAUSE THEY WERE LEADERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THEY WERE NOT THE REAL ELECTORS, WHAT HAPPENED.

>>MAGGIE: WHAT WE DO KNOW THAT THE REPUBLICANS WHO WERE APPOINTED THE ELECTORS, SHOULD FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE WON THE 2020 ELECTION, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SLATE OF ELECTORS AND THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE HERE IN NEW MEXICO, THEY WERE NOT, THE DEMOCRATIC ELECTORS ASSEMBLED HERE AT THE CAPITOL AND THE REPUBLICAN ELECTORS DID COME OUTSIDE, ASK TO BE PERMITTED ENTRY TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR AND CAST THEIR SLATE OF ELECTORS, WHICH I DENIED THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEIR CANDIDATE DIDN'T WIN.

IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LEGAL AND REALLY AT THE TIME AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, I JUST SORT OF THOUGHT OF IT AS SOME SORT OF POLITICAL STUNT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS HAD BEEN GOING ON AT THAT TIME, AND WE REALLY DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL ABOUT AT LEAST A YEAR LATER THAT THIS WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT TO TRY TO OVERTURN THE LEGITIMATE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION.

>>LORENE: THESE ARE, I'M NOT GOING TO NAME THEIR NAMES, BUT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND LEADERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT THEY DIDN'T EVEN SAY WE'RE JUST SHOWING UP WITH A KIND OF AN ESCAPE HATCH PHRASE, LIKE IN CASE WE'RE NEEDED IN CASE IT TURNS OUT THAT OUR CANDIDATE WON, WE WENT TO REGISTER AS ELECTORS.

NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

IF YOUR CANDIDATE DID NOT WIN, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

I THINK HERE IN NEW MEXICO, THEY DID HAVE THE MAGIC LANGUAGE IN THEIR PAPERS, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO ME.

WHAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO ME WAS WE WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND CAST OUR VOTES.

>>LORENE: DID YOU HAVE MUCH WARNING FOR THIS, THEY JUST SHOWED UP.

>>MAGGIE: NO, WE WERE IN HERE IN THE CAPITOL GETTING READY.

WE HAD SOME OF THE DEMOCRATIC ELECTORS WHO WERE THE LEGITIMATE ELECTORS STARTING TO FILTER IN AND I JUST GOT A TEXT MESSAGE SAYING, HEY, CAN WE COME IN AND ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL.

IT WAS REALLY UNUSUAL.

>>LORENE: YOU TAKE A MINUTE, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU OR YOU JUST SAID NO.

>>MAGGIE: NO, YEA, IF YOU REMEMBER AT THAT TIME, WE WERE ON COVID RESTRICTIONS LOCKDOWN, THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED DOWN, SO THEY COULDN'T HAVE COME IN UNLESS I HAD GIVEN THEM PERMISSION.

BUT IT WAS REALLY CLEAR TO ME THAT THEY WERE AGAIN, IN MY MIND AT THAT TIME, JUST, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING IN SOME POLITICAL THEATER OR TRYING TO PULL A STUNT AND I WASN'T INTERESTED IN ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN FOR THIS VERY SOLEMN, IMPORTANT PROCESS.

AND THEN AGAIN, LITTLE DID I KNOW WE FOUND OUT LATER THIS WAS THIS INTENTIONAL, COORDINATED EFFORT.

>>LORENE: I APPRECIATE HOW YOU HAVE HANDLED THAT CHALLENGE, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT FACE YOU ARE HOW TO EDUCATE THE ELECTORATE AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT COME UP, I JUST WANT YOU TO ADDRESS THEM.

BUT SPEAKING OF THE DIFFERENCES ON THE BALLOT, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENTIATION BY AREA AND JURISDICTION.

SO DO NOT I HAVE A FRIEND SAY, WELL, JUST TELL ME WHO YOU'RE VOTING FOR, I THINK HE LIVES OUT IN ROWE OR SOMETHING AND YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST DO THAT.

AND I SAID, NO, IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.

MAYBE A THIRD OF OUR CHOICES MIGHT BE THE SAME, BUT YOURS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LOCAL ELECTIONS, IT'S BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING.

I MEAN, I APPRECIATE HE'S A BUSY PERSON AND IT WAS IMPORTANT, HE WANTS TO KNOW.

THE OTHER THING THAT I'M SO WORRIED ABOUT IS THE LOCAL TURNOUT IS REALLY LOW, I THINK IN ONE OF OUR LAST ELECTIONS, ONLY A QUARTER, 25% OF THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN THE COUNTY TURNED OUT AND THEN IT INCREASED TO GREATER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GREATER MAYBE UP TO 25%, MAYBE MORE IN 2019, WHEN THE CITIES HAD TO CONSOLIDATE MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTY CITY ELECTIONS, SO PEOPLE ONLY HAD TO GO ONCE AND WERE WELCOME TO VOTE.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S BEEN A HUGE IMPROVEMENT.

WE USED TO HAVE LOCAL RACES LIKE SCHOOL BOARD RACES FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAD ONE, TWO 3% TURNOUT.

WE HAD A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH ZERO VOTERS TURNED OUT, INCLUDING THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE CONSOLIDATED, CORRECT, IT'S STILL LOW, YOU KNOW, A QUARTER OF THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS IS STILL LOW.

IT'S STILL MUCH BETTER THAN IT USED TO BE AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET IN THIS CADENCE NOW WHERE WE HAVE AN ELECTION EVERY NOVEMBER, SO THE VOTERS KNOW THERE'S AN ELECTION, WHETHER IT BE A LOCAL ELECTION, REGULAR OR A GENERAL ELECTION AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO HELP WITH TURNOUT.

>>LORENE: YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS A SENATOR FROM THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE STATE, AND HE DIDN'T COME IN, HE WAS WORKING OUT ON THE RANCH AND HE JUST SAID, WELL, I WON'T COME IN, YOU KNOW, I'M TOO BUSY, CAN'T LET GO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER AND HE DIDN'T VOTE AND HE LOST BY ONE VOTE.

YOU WONDER, YOU KNOW, AND THIS STORY OF THE ONE VOTE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT INCREASING TURNOUT IS TAYLOR SWIFT.

SO, TAYLOR SWIFT AT ONE OF HER CONCERTS GAVE THE LINK TO THE FEDERAL VOTING REGISTRATION SITE AND THROUGH HER SITE ALONE 440,000 PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE.

AND THEN WHO KNOWS HOW ELSE, THAT WAS ONLY THROUGH HER LINK, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE DID AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, YES, SHE GIVES MILLIONS TO HURRICANE RELIEF, SHE DOES ALL THESE GOOD THINGS, BUT SHE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT VOTING IS AND I'M REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR HER BECAUSE SHE HAS WHAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY 100 MILLION FOLLOWERS AND THAT SHE INCORPORATES THAT AS PART OF HER ACT.

SHE TELLS PEOPLE, I WANT YOU TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

ANOTHER THING THAT I FOUND OUT, TOO, IS THAT STATES THAT SEND A MAIL BALLOT TO EVERY VOTER, JUST COME IN THE MAIL, THEY GET A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESPONSE.

>>MAGGIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: DO WE DO THAT?

>>MAGGIE: WELL, WE DON'T DO THAT YET.

>>LORENE: CAN WE SIGN UP TO GET ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOREVER?

>>MAGGIE: SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, YES, WE JUST PASSED A LAW BACK IN 2023 THAT ALLOWS FOLKS, IF YOU ALWAYS WANT TO GET A BALLOT THROUGH THE MAIL FOR EVERY ELECTION, YOU CAN SIGN UP NOW, WHEN YOU GO ONLINE TO APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT, THERE'S A BOX THAT YOU CAN CLICK SAYING, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A BALLOT EVERY ELECTION.

I'M A PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER NOW AND I'M DOING IT FOR THE REASON OF FIRST OF ALL, TO MODEL THAT BEHAVIOR, RIGHT, MAKING SURE I VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION.

SECONDLY, TO SHOW FOLKS THAT IT IS A VERY SAFE, SECURE WAY TO VOTE.

I DON'T COUNT MY OWN BALLOT, BUT I TOTALLY TRUST THE PROCESS.

AND THIRD, THE STATES THAT HAVE BECOME ALL VOTE BY MAIL STATES, SO EITHER WASHINGTON, OREGON, CALIFORNIA, UTAH AND COLORADO.

>>LORENE: THESE ARE KIND OF MORE LIBERAL STATES, EXCEPT FOR UTAH.

>>MAGGIE: YEAH, EXACTLY, BUT IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE WESTERN STATES.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>MAGGIE: LIKE US, THEY HAVE ALL SAID, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU GET TO ABOUT 50% OF YOUR VOTING POPULATION SIGNED UP TO ALWAYS GET THEIR BALLOT IN THE MAIL, THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE READY.

SO NEW MEXICO MAY MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION EVENTUALLY.

BUT HERE'S THE THING FOR NOW, IF YOU WANT TO JUST ALWAYS GUARANTEE YOU GET THAT BALLOT, GO SIGN UP AND CLICK THAT BOX.

IT REALLY TAKES ONLY LIKE TWO OR 3 MINUTES TOTAL.

>>LORENE: I WILL DO THAT, I DEFINITELY WANT TO DO THAT.

SO THIS KIND OF TAGLINE FOR ALL THIS IS YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN FOR PEOPLE?

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'M TOO BUSY, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THIS INTERVIEW OF THE 90-YEAR-OLD WOMAN ONCE ABOUT VOTING AND SHE SAID, DON'T VOTE, IT ONLY ENCOURAGES THEM.

WELL, WE'VE GOT TO ENCOURAGE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR US.

>>MAGGIE: RIGHT.

WELL, HERE'S THE THING AS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU DEFINITELY AREN'T MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD, YOU DEFINITELY AREN'T HAVING A SAY IN WHO OUR LEADERS ARE, AND YOU DEFINITELY AREN'T MAKING SURE THAT THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU ARE BEING CONSIDERED.

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE MAKE IT REALLY EASY TO VOTE IN NEW MEXICO, GO TO NMVOTE.ORG TO FIND OUT ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW, WHERE AND WHEN TO CAST YOUR BALLOT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

THERE ARE TWO SOURCES FOR IMPARTIAL INFORMATION, DID YOU GIVE BOTH OF THEM?

>>MAGGIE: AGAIN VOTE411.ORG, THAT'S THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WEBSITE AND MY SECRETARY OF STATE WEBSITE SOS.NM.GOV, THE VOTER GUIDE FOR ALL OF OUR STATE BONDS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

>>LORENE: SO, DO YOU FORESEE FURTHER CHALLENGES, I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF TOPSY TURVY WITH SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP BETWEEN THE COVID RESTRICTIONS AND THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE MISINFORMATION AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.

IS THERE SOMETHING ON THE SIDELINES WAITING TO SWEEP US OFF OUR FEET?

>>MAGGIE: I WISH THERE WASN'T, AND I WISH THAT EVERYONE TREATED OUR VOTE AND OUR VOTING PROCESS AS SACREDLY AS WE DO AS ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS.

AND I THINK THE REALITY IS THAT BECAUSE THE VOTE ALLOWS US TO ELECT FOLKS AND PUT FOLKS INTO POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE POLITICS, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE LOOKING TO MANIPULATE THE PROCESS OR MANIPULATE VOTERS PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROCESS.

BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT AS ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, WE HAVE BECOME EXPERTS ON ALMOST EVERY AREA YOU CAN IMAGINE, CYBERSECURITY, PHYSICAL SECURITY, MIS AND DISINFORMATION, COMBATING, YOU KNOW, ENSURING FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME IN LINE.

WHATEVER IT TAKES WE ARE GOING TO GET IT DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTERS ARE PROTECTED.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU.

AT THE BEGINNING, I ASK YOU TO GIVE ALL THE GENERAL INFORMATION AND AT THE END, I WANT THIS TO BE THE LAST THING IN PEOPLE'S MINDS.

WHEN ARE THE DATES, WHERE IS IT AND WHERE CAN YOU GET MORE INFORMATION?

>>MAGGIE: EARLY VOTING IS GOING ON NOW, STARTING THE 19TH, IT'S GOING ON IN SATELLITE LOCATIONS AND THE BIGGER COUNTIES.

YOU CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW, WHERE AND WHEN TO CAST YOUR BALLOT AT NMVOTE.ORG, DON'T FORGET, ELECTION DAY ITSELF IS NOVEMBER 5TH.

WE JUST WANT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS AGAIN, GO TO THAT NMVOTE.ORG AND THEN VOTE NEW MEXICO AND VOTE.ORG WEBSITE.

SAMPLE BALLOT, THERE'S STILL TIME TO APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT WHERE YOU CAN RETURN IT AND WHERE YOU CAN GO VOTE BOTH DURING EARLY VOTING AND ON ELECTION DAY.

>>LORENE: NOW LET'S LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF CALENDAR DAYS.

SO ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 5TH ON A TUESDAY, IN THE WEEK BEFORE, WHERE IS THE CUTOFF TIME FOR EARLY FOR EARLY VOTING.

>>MAGGIE: THE LAST DAY OF EARLY VOTING IS THE LAST SATURDAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS NOVEMBER 1ST, I BELIEVE.

AND SO THAT'S THE LAST DAY TO VOTE IN PERSON.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, FOLKS, IF YOU WANT TO VOTE EARLY, IN-PERSON, GET OUT THERE, OTHERWISE YOU ARE GOING IN-PERSON TO A POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH.

>>LORENE: AND HOW CAN CITIZENS HELP OTHER CITIZENS VOTE, SAY, HEY, I'M GOING DOWN TO VOTE, DO YOU WANT A RIDE OR HAVE YOU DECIDED WHO YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

>>MAGGIE: I THINK, YES, OFFERING A RIDE IS GREAT AND HELPING PEOPLE GET TO THE POLLS, BUT I THINK A SIMPLE QUESTION WITHOUT EVEN GETTING INTO, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR IS HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE?

DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE YET, ARE YOU GOING TO CAST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT, ARE YOU GOING TO GO EARLY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GO AND JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO MAKE THAT PLAN SO THEY HAVE IT IN PLACE.

BECAUSE REMEMBER, ELECTION DAY IS NOW, THAT'S THE LAST CHANCE TO VOTE, THAT'S NOT EVEN, YOU KNOW, ELECTION DAY... >>LORENE: IT'S THE END OF THE ROAD.

>>MAGGIE: IT'S THE CULMINATION, SO IF YOU THINK OF ELECTION DAY AS YOUR LAST CHANCE, DON'T WAIT.

AS YOU KNOW, LORENE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE SNOW ON ELECTION DAY, YOU KNOW, CRAZY THINGS CAN HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES, WE CAN GET A FLAT TIRE AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO VOTE EARLY AND MAKE ELECTION DAY KIND OF THEIR BACKUP PLAN.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

SO THE COMMUNITY, ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO STRESS, IS THAT I LIVE IN THIS TRADITIONAL HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND I LOVE TO VOTE AT MY LOCAL PLACE BECAUSE I SEE EVERYONE THAT I KNOW, ALTHOUGH THE CONVENIENCE OF AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AND EARLY VOTING IS REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.

BUT IT'S TRUE, THAT'S THE BEST QUESTION TO ASK, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR VOTING.

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SAY, CAN I HELP YOU IF THEY HAVE IT WORKED OUT, THAT'S GREAT, IF NOT, YOU GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION AND THAT'S IT.

WELL, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION, IT'S NOT A QUICK QUESTION, BUT YOU'VE DONE THIS FOR SO LONG, THIS IS NOW YOUR FIFTH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, WHAT DREW YOU TO ELECTION, WHAT PART OF YOUR BRAIN, HEART AND SOUL HAS CAUSED YOU TO WORK SO LONG AND HARD FOR OUR ELECTIONS?

>>MAGGIE: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, WHO CAN SAY WHAT THE ORIGINAL IMPETUS WAS.

I WAS RAISED LIKE A LOT OF NEW MEXICO KIDS GROWING UP IN A FAMILY THAT WAS POLITICALLY INTERESTED BUT NOT ACTIVE.

I KNOW WE WATCHED EVERYTHING, WE WATCHED ALL THE CONVENTIONS, WE WATCHED THE IRAN CONTRA HEARINGS, WATCHED EVERY NIGHT.

RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, I GOT ENGAGED AND I THINK I FOUND THROUGH THE WORK THAT I DID THAT MAKING SURE THAT VOTERS WERE INFORMED AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE WAS WHERE MY HEART WAS.

AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY SPECIAL CAREER AND I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO HAVE IT, BEEN HARD, BUT I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE IT.

>>LORENE: AND WE'VE BEEN SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.

>>MAGGIE: THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS, LORENE.

>>LORENE: IT'S A PLEASURE.

AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I WANT TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR JOINING US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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