REPORT: GOP Commission Blocks Primary Results In New Mexico Over Voting Machines

A Republican-led commission in New Mexico refused to certify the results of the June 7 primary Monday, with some commissioners saying it distrusts the voting systems used to count the ballots.

Democratic New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Olive asked the state Supreme Court Tuesday to force the three-member Otero County commission to certify the election results, reported The Associated Press.

Toulouse Olive and County Clerk Robyn Holmes accused the commission of violating state election laws by requiring a statewide hand count, also arguing that such a method could void votes from Otero county.

“The election law does not allow me to hand tally these ballots or to even form a board to do it. I just can’t. And I’m going to follow the law,” said Holmes, according to the AP.

“The post-election canvassing process is a key component of how we maintain our high levels of election integrity in New Mexico, and the Otero County Commission is flaunting that process by appeasing unfounded conspiracy theories and potentially nullifying the votes of every Otero County voter who participated in the primary,” said Toulouse Oliver, the AP reported.

No potential irregularities from the June 7 primary election were brought up in the June 9 meeting.

The three-member commission comprises District 1 Commissioner Gerald Matherly, District 2 Commissioner Couy Griffin, and District 3 Commissioner Vickie Marquardt.

Griffin, a co-founder of Cowboys for Trump, acknowledged that the commission’s refusal to certify the results will likely cause delays in local elections, reported the outlet. Marquardt said she voted not to certify local election races because of her conscience.

“I have huge concerns with these voting machines,” Marquardt said Monday, reported the AP. “When I certify stuff that I don’t know is right, I feel like I’m being dishonest because, in my heart, I don’t know if it is right.”

The county commission voted to approve Griffin’s agenda items June 9, which include completing a recount of the ballots from the state-wide June 7 primary election by hand, removing ballot drop boxes and suspending the use of Dominion voting systems in the November general election.

A Dominion spokesperson denounced the commission’s decision not to certify the primary election results.

“This is yet another example of how lies about Dominion have damaged our company and diminished the public’s faith in elections,” a Dominion spokesperson told the Daily Caller.

Griffin said at the June 9 meeting that his agenda items were put forward for a vote because the people of Otero County still want election answers. (RELATED: Missouri Bill Would Prevent ‘Zuckbucks’ From Flooding Local Election Offices)

“I put these [agenda items] on here because I feel like that is what the people want. [We], as commissioners, are to be the representation of the will of the people,” said Griffin.

The county commission has until June 17 to certify the election results and avoid delays to the state certification of local races. The Otero commission has the authority under state law to block the certification of local election results if the county finds specific discrepancies, according to the AP.

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