BillHobbs.com is a frequently updated blog of original reporting and commentary by Bill Hobbs, a longtime Nashville journalist and media relations adviser. I am currently serving as communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party, a job I began on Oct. 29, 2007.
Al Gore beat George Bush by fewer than 500 votes in New Mexico in the 2000 election, and the state is considered a battle ground again this year in the race for the presidency. Which makes this story about suspected voter registration fraud in heavily-Democratic Albuquerque - abetted by the state's top election official's order telling county clerks to ignore a law designed to screen out fraudulent voters - all the more troubling.
Voter fraud targeted Alamogordo Daily News Sept. 17, 2004
By Michael Shinabery, Staff Writer
A 13-year-old boy who received a voter registration application in the mail may only be the tip of the iceberg on voter fraud in the state, said New Mexico Rep. Dr. Terry Marquardt (R-Otero/Doņa Ana).
On Tuesday, Marquardt was one of three plaintiffs to sue Otero County Clerk Mary Quintana in 12th Judicial District Court. Marquardt, state Rep. Gloria Vaughn (R-Otero) and Green Party candidate William C. Wolfgram from Otero County hope to force the clerk to comply with a 2003 voter registration law.
"The name of this 13-year-old boy in Albuquerque with a fraudulent social security number was supplied, without his knowledge, to the Bernalillo county clerk to register him to vote by a paid voter registration organization," Marquardt said. "(It) highlights the level of voter fraud we are experiencing in New Mexico and this is exactly the reason that 86 percent of New Mexicans favor voter identification and exactly the reason the Legislature passed this legislation."
That legislation, passed in the 2003 session, requires first-time voters to show identification.
"The law states that if the registration form is not submitted in person by the applicant (at the courthouse) and the applicant is registering for the first time in New Mexico, the applicant must submit with the form a copy of current and valid identification," Marquardt said. Many voters are not registering at various party headquarters.
"If the applicant does not submit the required identification at registration he will be required to do so when he votes in person or absentee," Marquardt said.
The dilemma is if county clerks do not flag a voter as a first-time registree when the name is entered into the computer, that fact is lost. When the voter arrives on election day poll workers are unaware ID is needed.
When the law became effective July 1, 2003, Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron began "directing county clerks to ignore the law," Marquardt said.
According to Marquardt, he, Vaughn and Wolfgram "simply are asking the judge to give clear direction" for the clerk to follow the law instead of Vigil-Giron.
Would it surprise you to know that New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron is a Democrat? The state's top official in charge of running clean elections and stopping voter fraud has ordered county election clerks to ignore a law designed to help ensure clean elections and stop voter fraud.
As far as I'm concerned, ALL voters should have to provide identification at the polling place, and their name should be immediately recorded (where I live, you only have one polling place you are allowed to vote at, registered voters are listed in a book, and you have to not only show ID, but sign next to your name) so they can't vote somewhere else.
Bill, this post, made by Bill, includes a personal attack against democrats and against Ms. Vigil-Giron, and should be deleted as per the "comment policy" listed on this web-page.
Yes, Bill, telling the TRUTH about a democRat is always considered a personal attack, and should be censored.
Posted by: Christian at September 30, 2004 02:50 AM
I'm still amazed that all I have to do to vote is show up and scribble my signature on a form which is roughly compared to a tiny little version of my signature in the polling records. I was given a flimsy paper voter registration card when I registered but it has never been of any use.
Why is it such a big deal to require a valid photo ID of everyone who votes, every time they vote - not just the first?
Once a US citizen comes of age they have the right to vote. That doesn't mean that they have no other responsibilities associated with excercising that right. Every US citizen has the means to obtain a valid photo ID from the state in which they reside. If voting was of any importance to a person they would have no problem going out and obtaining a photo ID if they did not already posess one.
Posted by: Chad Clancy at September 30, 2004 07:44 AM
I really don't understand (well, yeah I do!) why the Democrats are fighting so hard against showing ID's to vote. They STILL claim Bush's election in 2000 was a fraud - seems to me like anything that would rectify that, they would go for. Looks like Bush will win here, tough, so of course that are doing what they can to screw things up.
New Mexico is corrupt with voter fraud.
One party stands with the corruption and they are the democRATS. Time and time again legislation has been proposed to require ID to vote, but the democRATS vote it down. They are in control of this state through fraudulent acts. Take back our state with honest elections. The democRATS have had control of this state for 75 years and we are at the bottom of the barrell in everything. Education, crime, employment. This state is corrupt.
Posted by: Rob Claffy at November 6, 2004 11:04 PM
New Mexico is corrupt with voter fraud.
One party stands with the corruption and they are the democRATS. Time and time again legislation has been proposed to require ID to vote, but the democRATS vote it down. They are in control of this state through fraudulent acts. Take back our state with honest elections. The democRATS have had control of this state for 75 years and we are at the bottom of the barrell in everything. Education, crime, employment. This state is corrupt.
Posted by: Rob Claffy at November 6, 2004 11:05 PM
New Mexico is corrupt with voter fraud.
One party stands with the corruption and they are the democRATS. Time and time again legislation has been proposed to require ID to vote, but the democRATS vote it down. They are in control of this state through fraudulent acts. Take back our state with honest elections. The democRATS have had control of this state for 75 years and we are at the bottom of the barrell in everything. Education, crime, employment. This state is corrupt.
Posted by: Rob Claffy at November 6, 2004 11:06 PM
New Mexico is corrupt with voter fraud.
One party stands with the corruption and they are the democRATS. Time and time again legislation has been proposed to require ID to vote, but the democRATS vote it down. They are in control of this state through fraudulent acts. Take back our state with honest elections. The democRATS have had control of this state for 75 years and we are at the bottom of the barrell in everything. Education, crime, employment. This state is corrupt.
Posted by: Rob Claffy at November 6, 2004 11:07 PM
New Mexico is corrupt with voter fraud.
One party stands with the corruption and they are the democRATS. Time and time again legislation has been proposed to require ID to vote, but the democRATS vote it down. They are in control of this state through fraudulent acts. Take back our state with honest elections. The democRATS have had control of this state for 75 years and we are at the bottom of the barrell in everything. Education, crime, employment. This state is corrupt.
Posted by: Rob Claffy at November 6, 2004 11:07 PM
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