Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Thursday, President Trump unceremoniously dismissed all members of the bipartisan United States Election Assistance Commission, an organization charged with helping election officials improve election administration and helping Americans participate in the voting process. 

“This is effectively a complete dismantling of an independent, bipartisan commission that exists for the sole purposes of supporting secure elections and an informed electorate,” Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said. “It is reckless, unwarranted, and threatens to do real harm to the confidence Americans have in our elections. No matter how much chaos this administration continues to try to create, I know that my colleagues and I remain resolved in our commitment to ensuring every eligible voter has an opportunity to safely and securely cast a ballot in November. New Mexicans should continue to rely on information available on our website for voter registration requirements and as they make plans to vote.”  

The Election Assistance Commission was established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002 and is comprised of four commissioners that are recommended by major and minor party leadership in the House of Representatives, nominated by the president of the United States, and approved by the Senate.

No more than two commissioners may belong to the same political party. Among its responsibilities are adopting voting system guidelines, providing official guidance on HAVA compliance and accrediting national testing facilities for voting system equipment.