Candidate Q&A: Secretary of State

Editor’s note: Nora Espinoza, R-Roswell, and Maggie Toulouse Oliver, D-Albuquerque, are candidates for New Mexico secretary of state. Questions were asked and received via email. Responses have been edited for style. Allegations against the opponent have been deleted since the format does not allow for response.

Nora Espinoza

Espinoza

Age: 62

Current occupation: Retired teacher. Small businesswoman.

Any previous offices held: State representative, Chaves and Lincoln Counties (and Otero County before redistricting).

Do you think voters should be required to present an ID at the ballot box in state elections, or is the verification process used in the voter registration process adequate? We absolutely must have voter ID at the polls. Each year there are heartbreaking stories of people’s identities and votes being stolen. Voter ID is a critical common-sense tool, supported by 75 percent of all New Mexicans, which would help prevent this crime. Only legal, eligible voters should decide our elections.

We lack any safeguards on the voter registration process — this is why you are seeing reports from all over the country about fraudulent registrations. We need a voter registration review process — currently authorized in law, but not followed — that allows for database matches with MVD as well as the Social Security Administration. This will ensure that names are valid and that registrations are not submitted in the names of deceased individuals.

What do you think is the best way to increase voter turnout in New Mexico? Safeguards like voter ID boost public confidence in the honesty and legitimacy of elections. People are much more likely to vote if they are confident their own vote is not being stolen or being canceled out by someone who is voting illegally. Cleaning up the voter file, and protecting legitimate voters’ identities and their votes is the best thing the secretary of state can do to boost confidence, which in turn inspires voting.

You can now register to vote online in New Mexico. Do you think it's possible that voting could be online within the next few election cycles? What are the benefits and challenges? As improvements are made in internet technology, we certainly may be able to vote online at some point in the not-too-distant future. However, in a representative democracy, voting and elections are the bedrock of our entire structure of government. That being the case, the security of elections is paramount. As is confirmed in reports almost every single day, hacking and disruption of communication is simply too widespread for online voting right now. If — and it appears to be a big if — we can guarantee security, online voting could significantly increase participation.

The last person elected to this office resigned following charges of fraud and embezzlement. How would you establish public trust in the office? The best way to have public trust is to clearly demonstrate to New Mexicans that you care deeply about protecting their identity and their vote and that you are going to safeguard our elections.

What makes you the most qualified person in this race to serve as secretary of state? My approach to the office. I correctly view it as an administrative position that exists to administer fair, honest elections and protect the sanctity of the vote. We are here to serve New Mexicans, not George Soros or other special interests.

Additionally, I start with a clean slate.

Maggie Toulouse Oliver

Age: 40

Oliver

Current occupation: Bernalillo County Clerk

Any previous offices held: I have served as Bernalillo County Clerk since 2007, making voting easier and more accessible for one-third of all voters in New Mexico.

Do you think voters should be required to present an ID at the ballot box in state elections, or is the verification process used in the voter registration process adequate? I will support any legislation that improves the security and integrity of our elections, but not at the expense of diminishing access to the polls or restricting the right to vote. I support our current laws and will work closely with the Legislature to make improvements as necessary to meet the needs of voters in New Mexico.

What do you think is the best way to increase voter turnout in New Mexico? In addition to restoring trust in government, I will create a Department of Voter Education to ensure that voters have accurate and timely information about elections, deadlines, candidates and ballot initiatives.

Ultimately, however, it is important that elected officials at all levels of government be held to high standards of integrity and accountability, providing the voting public with good reason to trust and participate in our democracy.

You can now register to vote online in New Mexico. Do you think it's possible that voting could be online within the next few election cycles? What are the benefits and challenges? Many people would like to see online voting become a reality. I understand the desire to make voting easier and accessible, and I generally support policies to that effect. However, I do not currently support online voting. There are far too many ways an online voting system can be hacked, causing false results and election outcomes. Until we can find a hack-proof system, I believe our current system of accountable paper ballots is the best way to ensure election and ballot integrity.

The last person elected to this office resigned following charges of fraud and embezzlement. How would you establish public trust in the office? Our last secretary of state went to jail for breaking the very laws she was sworn to uphold. That’s why we must depoliticize the ethics process. New Mexicans deserve accountability and transparency from public officials and a nonpartisan Statewide Ethics Commission will go a long way toward that goal. Requiring that all candidates, political groups and lobbyists are playing by the rules is of paramount importance to ensuring integrity in government.

What makes you the most qualified person in this race to serve as secretary of state? I have served as county clerk for nearly 10 years in New Mexico’s most populous county, Bernalillo, where I have run fair and accessible elections that have delivered accurate results on time, every time. I'm running to ensure integrity and public trust in the secretary of state's office.

My top priorities will be to enact thoughtful and innovative reforms to New Mexico's campaign finance system and to hold elected officials, government employees, candidates, lobbyists and all political groups to the highest levels of ethical standards and accountability. The people of New Mexico deserve to have leaders they can trust.

— Compiled by CNJ Staff Writer Brooke Finch