Early voting in New Mexico is the highest since we went for Obama in 2008. A positive sign, I hope.
New Mexico voters continued to head to the polls and return absentee ballots early, as 322,880 voters had already cast their ballots as of Tuesday morning: 154,578 through early in-person voting and 71,939 through returning absentee ballots.
The number of returned absentee ballots is now the second-most in state history, only behind the 172,136 absentee ballots returned in 2008, and is poised to break that year’s record total by tomorrow morning (21st).
As of Tuesday morning (20th), 44.77 percent of all voters who requested absentee ballots have returned them. UPDATE: as of Wednesday, that return record is now 49.43%.
Tuesday was the final day for voters to request absentee ballots.
Throw the stink out of the White House. It will take a while not only to fumigate the place; but, sort out the damage that garbage-brain did to previous legislation with aid from the failed and failing Republican Party.
They couldn’t offer any new upstanding honest candidates. Relied instead on populist fervor for bigotry and greed. No surprise in American political history.
Something we might rectify by shit-canning the absurdity of an electoral college…allowing democracy to better serve this nation.
Eideard 
In Albuquerque, a convoy of vehicles, some with Trump flags, honked and yelled near a voting site on Saturday, the first day of early voting, according to a video submitted to news station KRQE. The Bernalillo County district attorney’s office said the incident is under investigation. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/voter-intimidation-allegations/2020/10/20/6722d0ae-123e-11eb-82af-864652063d61_story.html
“New Mexico Election officials may need backup poll workers” https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/election-officials-may-need-backup-poll-workers/5901623/?cat=500
To apply to become a poll worker, click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQNb2penUzlN13fC2P2Fb7o-qPUAerFRW9hs_I5fd6PhF__Q/viewform
NM Voter information: https://www.sos.state.nm.us/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal/
“A New Mexico state Senator fled his home Sunday after receiving multiple intimidating voicemail messages over the weekend, saying the threats were connected to his recent criticisms of a local protest against COVID-19 restrictions where many attendees were not wearing masks or social distancing.” https://www.abqjournal.com/1510909/new-mexico-legislator-flees-home-after-threats-received.html
Four Republican poll watchers were kicked out of an absentee vote counting warehouse in Las Cruces on Friday for “disrupting and intimidating” poll workers, state officials said, leading New Mexico’s elections director to reprimand the state Republican Party.
Republicans then shot back, accusing the Doña Ana county clerk of making up the claims against poll challengers who were “rightfully doing their job.”
The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office said one of the Republican poll watchers grabbed the Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections director and filmed him, leading the office to temporarily stop tabulating votes. It called the conduct illegal.
State Elections Director Mandy Vigil wrote in a letter Friday to state GOP Chairman Steve Pearce that one poll watcher told officials at the absentee precinct board he had been instructed by Republican Party officials to “push the envelope” on what was legal inside the office.
The Secretary of State’s Office said it was “demanding resolution to this behavior immediately,” calling on the Republican Party to “stop any explicit instruction or guidance” to disturb the polling location or officials. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/gop-poll-watchers-deemed-disruptive-in-las-cruces-kicked-out/article_0c163f48-1af9-11eb-a80a-db61353a2459.html
In what might be the most significant act of attempted voter and political intimidation in New Mexico this election season, several prominent New Mexico Democrats were threatened and harassed on Wednesday night by individuals who invaded a Zoom meeting, used hate speech and held up handmade signs containing the “n” word, swastikas and “Trump 2020,” according to at least 10 sources who witnessed the event. At least one of the perpetrators exposed his genitals and began masturbating. https://searchlightnm.org/intruders-holding-handmade-signs-with-swastikas-racial-slurs-disrupt-democratic-party-zoom-meeting/
The incident occurred at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Grant County Democratic Party, which was open to the public.
Frances Gonzales, vice chair of the Grant County Democratic Party (GCDP), says a few days before the Zoom meeting she was followed by a large SUV with a Trump flag and Texas plates. The next evening, she said, she stepped outside to walk her dogs and saw the same SUV, with at least two male passengers, idling outside her house.
Gonzales said the driver started to exit the vehicle, threatening to “burn down your f-ing house,” shoot her, and kill her dogs if Trump loses.
At that point, she said, “I let my dogs run after them and they drove off.”
“A new report by a nonprofit data research organization says New Mexico is among 10 states most at risk for militia groups threatening the safety of voters as Election Day approaches. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/elections/report-new-mexico-at-risk-for-militia-activity-during-election/article_9ca2cdda-17be-11eb-af49-b756a2133013.html
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project’s report on militia groups and the U.S. election, released earlier this month, indicates the state is at moderate risk of heightened militia activity before, during and after the Nov. 3 election.
New Mexico joins Texas, North Carolina, Virginia and California in that group, while Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Oregon are considered at the highest risk.
ACLED report: https://acleddata.com/2020/10/21/standing-by-militias-election/
Charles Marino, a former adviser for the Department of Homeland Security, told CBS News this week that militia groups, often aligned with the Republican Party and white supremacy, are becoming more assertive. He noted the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security released a recent statement saying such groups pose “the number one threat” to the nation.
“That is giving a certain level of enticement to these groups, a perception of acceptability and support, and it is causing bigger problems for law-enforcement agencies across the country,” Marino said. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/will-militia-groups-impact-2020-us-election-charles-marino-analysis/
The founder of New Mexico’s new militia was a neo-Nazi skinhead http://nmindepth.com/2020/08/20/the-founder-of-new-mexicos-new-militia-was-a-neo-nazi-skinhead/
“Friends who’ve voted early tell me that voters showing up without masks have to be allowed to vote. When a friend complained about precinct officials allowing voters without masks to come into the polling locations, they were told “Federal law doesn’t permit us to send them out–it would be considered “impeding a voters.” Matt Runnels in Silver City complained about this and the menace it represents, but even the Secretary of State and the Governor’s office told him there was nothing they could do about it. So it’s nice that they are assuring people how safe it is to vote in person, but for those who show up at the same time as one of those maskless voters making a statement about their rugged individuality and unhinged freedom, tough luck. Just wear double masks and stay as far away from those who are bare-faced.”
Albuquerque Democratic state Senator Jerry Ortiz Y Pino, 78 joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com (11/2/20)
“Way out on the windswept desert where nature favors no man…”
“This Place Has Picked Every President Since 1952. Is Its Streak About to End?
In the desert of New Mexico, Valencia County has become the embodiment of the polarization it once defied.” https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/11/02/valencia-new-mexico-election-bellwether-433756
New Mexico Early Voting Statistics Last Report: 11/1/2020 Data Provided by New Mexico Department of State https://electproject.github.io/Early-Vote-2020G/NM.html
“NM had record absentee votes, total turnout, but elections ran smoothly” https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2020/11/05/nm-had-record-absentee-votes-total-turnout-but-elections-ran-smoothly/
“New Mexico has become the first state in history to elect all women of color to the U.S. House of Representatives.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/04/nm-becomes-first-state-elect-all-women-color-house/6162462002/