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Pile of red, white, and blue lapel pins with the word "Vote"

League of Women Voters promotes civic participation one election at a time

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Roz Brown

(New Mexico News Connection) The arrival of social media some 20 years ago has created a challenge when it comes to finding nonpartisan political information.

The League of Women Voters, founded in 1920, does its best to offer voters a more neutral option. Last year, New Mexico implemented a law to better fund elections, in part meant to stem recent high turnover among election officials.

Kathy Brook, co-president of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, believes voters can trust their county clerks to do a good job.

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Closeup of a computer keyboard with a key labeled "Vote." A miniature ballot box is sitting on the key

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"Pretty much throughout the country there have been improvements in the operations of elections," Brook pointed out. "During the last election we got quite a few county clerks in the state to do very short videos describing the security of the election process."

The Election Performance Index ranks New Mexico best in the nation based on the 2022 midterm elections in terms of voter registration rates, postelection audits, security protocols, ballot rejection rates, wait times and more. The Index is a product of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Before the internet, many voters in both political parties relied on the League's hard copy nonpartisan Voter Guide, still available at most public libraries prior to an election. There are more options now but Brook acknowledged some voters still want the tactile experience.

"We have a fairly decent electronic tool, but those people who've gotten their information from printed guides for 30, 40 years like to see the printed guide," Brook observed.

The League lobbies legislation at the national, state, and local levels, based on positions crafted at national conventions. Members of state and local leagues determine their leagues' positions on state and local issues, consistent with the national positions.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.