In my garage, clinging to a cabinet door, is a magnetic sign that reads, “Election Protection”. I saved it from the last general election, when I stuck it to the door of my car and drove around to polling places as a volunteer observer for Common Cause, a nonpartisan national organization whose mission includes safeguarding free and fair elections.
My job was to observe polling locations from my car. If I saw any problems, I was instructed to report by phone – not to intervene. Concern about possible election disruption was very high. Volunteer legal experts were waiting by the phones.
Fortunately, New Mexico did well. We can say with considerable pride that New Mexico’s elections were ranked best in the nation by the prestigious Elections Performance Index, a project of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab described as “a non-partisan, objective measure of U.S. election administration.”
Before that volunteer stint, I had already studied New Mexico election procedures – from registration to vote counting – and found our processes impressive and thorough. I have written several columns about that subject.
I will probably volunteer again this year. The staff at Common Cause say the number of volunteers is down and they can use lots more. If you’re interested, contact Policy Director Mason Graham at mgraham@commoncause.org or 505.417.4012.
This year New Mexico will have another set of observers to help reassure voters. The Carter Center is planning a major presence here. The Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, has been observing elections around the world since 1989, with 125 missions in 40 countries, and has recently begun observing elections in the United States.
Their mission, as in their global election observations, is to increase public trust and confidence in the outcome of the elections they observe.
According to Carmen Lopez, co-leader of the New Mexico project, the center has been working on this since April. Its organizers plan to have nonpartisan observers in half of New Mexico precincts on Election Day and similar numbers for at least one or two days in early voting locations in every county – more than 250 people on Election Day. They plan to recruit both volunteers and paid staff at colleges and other locations. They will leave behind a cadre of people who understand in depth how our elections work.
Lopez said New Mexico was chosen because our state law allows nonpartisan observers in polling places, whereas many states only allow partisan observers.
“New Mexico is a great place to have a statewide effort,” she said, “because you don’t have to negotiate with every county clerk.”
As the Carter Center website explains, observers are stationed at polling places, election offices, and other satellite locations where election operations take place. Each team collects data using standardized questions.
They do not get involved or interfere in election processes, even if they see something that should not happen. They are trained to understand the election process as specified by law and to report on whether procedures are being followed correctly.
To learn more about this activity, go to observenmelections.org. To volunteer to observe in New Mexico, contact observenm@cartercenter.org.
If you have been confused by the unproven and probably false charges of massive voter fraud in other states, here is a thought: If you don’t trust our elections, take the time to find out exactly how they work. Consider volunteering.
And if you still don’t trust our elections after that, for heaven’s sake don’t run for office. If you win in an election you alleged was fraudulent, you have no right to claim you won.
Contact Merilee Dannemann through www.triplespacedagain.com.
Read the full article by Marilee Dannemann, Los Alamos Daily Post.