Los Alamos County Elections Manager Gloria Maestas and County Clerk Sharon Stover welcome the 2016 Primary Election Poll Workers to the Election School Thursday in Council Chambers. Courtesy/LAC

County Clerk Sharon Stover, left, demonstrates the audio-visual ballot marking interface to Los Alamos resident Kim Thomas. In the background, Senior Deputy Clerk Naomi Maestas, Deputy Clerk Victoria Martinez and Elections Manager Gloria Maestas certify the early voting machines. Courtesy/LAC

ELECTION News:

• Democratic and Republican Election – Tuesday, June 7, 2016

This week the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office began gearing up for the Primary Election and County Clerk Sharon Stover is reminding Los Alamos County citizens that voter registration will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 10.

The New Mexico Secretary of State (SOS) also provides online voter registration to eligible New Mexico citizens. Citizens can now update their existing registration or register for the first time, all that is required is a state issued I.D. Visit the New Mexico Secretary of State website at https:////www.sos.state.nm.us/ to register online.

For the first time, eligible 17 year olds can vote in the Primary Election. Beginning Wednesday, May 18, 2016, HB138, provides that 17 year olds must register to vote prior to voter registration closing Tuesday, May 10, 2016 and that the voter must turn 18 on or before the General Election, Nov. 8, 2016; and must register as a Democrat or Republican to vote in the Primary Election.

Poll worker training was conducted Wednesday, May 4 for those who are assigned to work during the early voting period. The poll worker training, also referred to as a School of Instruction is required pursuant to NMSA 1-2-17, and shall cover all major details of the conduct of elections and with special emphasis being given to recent changes on the election code.

“Poll official training is absolutely fundamental in the preparation of an election as workers are entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out state mandated election procedures such as opening the polls, processing voter transactions and reconciling voted ballots after the closure of the polls,” Stover said.  

Thirty-six poll workers attended the training and everyone was provided with an in-depth Poll Worker Training Manual, developed by the Clerk’s Office and included lessons learned and citizen feedback from the 2014 General Election. 

Thursday, May 5, the certification and preparation process for the Early Voting Machines to be used 2016 Primary Election was conducted. Thursday’s testing passed with a perfect match between the test votes cast and the test results issued by the NM SOS. Additionally, every voting machine underwent functional testing. Functional testing ensures the proper operation of the buttons, connections and other components of the voting machines, such as the audio-visual ballot marking interface.

“Testing is essential in the preparation of an election,” Stover explained. “This testing provides an added level of confidence in the election results by ensuring that all potential voter choices are tested for accuracy.” 

With the certification preparation process complete, the ICE voting machines are ready for deployment to the two Early Vote Centers: Council Chambers in the Los Alamos County Municipal Building and the Multi-Purpose Room in the White Rock Branch Library.

On Election Day, June 7, there will be three Vote Centers available: the LAC Municipal Building in the Council Chambers; the LAC White Rock Library Multi-Purpose Meeting Room; and the LAC Golf Course Community Building Multi-Purpose Meeting Room.

Stover would like to remind everyone that Absentee Voting by Mail begins Tuesday, voters who prefer a ballot to be mailed, need to complete an absentee application. Applications may be obtained on the Clerk’s webpage, or by calling the Clerk’s Office and requesting an application by mail. Absentee Voting in Person (Early Voting) begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 10 in the County Municipal Building, 1st Floor, Council Chambers. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday including the noon hour.

Visit the Clerk webpage www.losalamosnm.us/clerk for more information about the 2016 Primary Election and additional information on early voting hours/locations, or to view a sample ballot. Citizens may also call the Clerk’s office at 505.662.8010 or email clerks@lacnm.us.