URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/508252nm11-02-06.htm

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Lack of Canvass Auditor Blasted
By Trip Jennings
Journal Capitol Bureau
    Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., accused Democratic Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron of playing politics Wednesday for her decision not to hire an outside auditor to check next week's general election results.
    The Secretary of State's Office has decided to do the canvass itself rather than rely on one of two local firms that sought the job.
    Vigil-Giron's spokesman said Wednesday that neither firm met the agency's expectations and that it was too late to go out for new bids.
    "We just don't have enough time," said the spokesman, Ray Baray. He added that the state must certify results 21 days after the general election.
    "What is lacking is the political will," Domenici said in response.
    Vigil-Giron declined to respond to Domenici's remarks.
    Pat Rogers, a Republican attorney, left open the possibility for a lawsuit if an outside auditor is not hired.
    "The refusal of the secretary of state to hire two of the finest accounting firms in the state to assist her is inexplicable and it is a danger to an accurate final count," said Rogers.
    Domenici and Rogers said it is important that New Mexicans are confident in the results of this year's election, especially as New Mexico converts to a new paper ballot voting system.
    The controversy over the general election canvass is the latest point of partisan contention over voting procedures to surface in the weeks leading up to the election.
    Political parties already are assigning individuals to voting precincts across the state to monitor Election Day voting, especially in Bernalillo County, home to the 1st Congressional District race, the state's hottest contest. Republican Heather Wilson is trying to fend off a strong challenge from Democratic state Attorney General Patricia Madrid.
    Among the voters Republicans will be monitoring include more than 200,000 individuals placed on the state's inactive voter list earlier this year when their voter ID cards were returned to the Secretary of State's Office, said Marta Kramer, executive director of the state Republican Party.
    The GOP asked Vigil-Giron to require those "inactive" voters to present a state-issued photo ID before voting, but she has said "inactive" voters are eligible to vote and aren't subject to more restrictive ID requirements.
    The GOP also will be looking out for illegal immigrants who vote.
    Last week the state Republican Party filed a lawsuit seeking an emergency hearing to force state officials to disclose names of non-U.S. citizens issued with New Mexico driver's licenses.
    For months, GOP officials have sought to cross-check the list of driver's licenses against voter registration rolls to measure potential voter fraud.
    Some county clerks are laying down the law about partisan poll watchers.
    "If they start interrupting and slowing down the process, we will have them removed," said Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera, also the Democratic candidate for secretary of state. "I don't care what party they are from."

E-MAIL writer Trip Jennings