About Us
Our
Mission
The mission of Observe New Mexico Elections is to increase transparency and trust in New Mexico’s elections by training and deploying nonpartisan election observers throughout the state. Observers will report on how election laws and procedures are followed, representing all voters without interfering in the electoral process. Findings from their observations will be compiled to assess the overall quality of elections in New Mexico.
Research has long indicated that the presence of nonpartisan or independent election observers during critical stages of an election can improve election administration and bolster public trust in electoral outcomes.
The 2022 Survey of the Performance of American Elections – a national survey administered to 10,200 registered voters – found, for example, that a majority of American voters (61%) would have more confidence in the integrity and security of their state’s election system if they knew that nonpartisan poll watchers had observed the process.
Co-Leads, Observe New Mexico Elections
Carmen J. López is co-leading Observe New Mexico Elections. She is from Las Vegas, NM, resides in Santa Fe, NM and is the President of CL Strategies, a company that supports communities to build an engage, representative and accessible democracy. She previously served as the Senior Director of Democracy at the State Innovation Exchange, the Democracy Policy Officer at the Thornburg Foundation, the Deputy Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the Data and Policy Director at America Votes-NM, and the U.S. Congress and NM Legislature. Carmen earned a Master of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a BA in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Mount Holyoke College.
Sharon Berman is co-leading Observe New Mexico Elections. She resides in Corrales, NM and has worked with New Mexico First since 2011 in the areas of election reform and good governance, food insecurity and agriculture, health and education. Sharon has a background in education, filmmaking, anthropology and music. Previously she managed a museum-on-wheels program for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, designed museum and arts education curriculum, and co-founded Corrales International School, an Albuquerque International Baccalaureate charter school in 2008. Sharon earned an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Montreal, an M.A. in Visual Anthropology from the University of Southern California, and a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the Evergreen State College.
Advisory Board
Former Governor Garrey Carruthers grew up in Aztec, New Mexico and currently lives in Las Cruces, NM. He was elected Governor of New Mexico in 1986, served as chair of the Border Governors’ Commission and the Education Commission of the States, chair of the Republican Party from 1977-1979, and as an Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Interior between 1981-1984. Carruthers served New Mexico State University as a full professor, Director of the New Mexico Water Research Institute, Dean of the College of Business, Vice President of Economic Development, President, and Chancellor of the NMSU system. An advocate for ethics in government, he was one of the inaugural Commissioners of the New Mexico Ethics Commission. His interest in ethics inspired him to answer the call to serve Observe New Mexico Elections.
Justice Barbara J. Vigil (ret.) has served as both a trial court judge and as an appellate court judge for over two decades. Beginning her career as a litigator in private practice, Barbara was elected to the First Judicial District Court in the year 2000 and to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 2012. In 2021, Barbara was appointed Cabinet Secretary of Children, Youth and Families Department and received unanimous bi-partisan support for her nomination. She recently established a consulting and mediation practice focused on resolving disputes across the legal spectrum. She serves on the boards of the International Women’s Forum NM and the Foundation for Open Government. Barbara earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from New Mexico State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of New Mexico School of Law. Barbara is a lifelong resident of New Mexico and lives in Santa Fe with her husband.
Ryan Cangiolosi lives in Albuquerque and serves as the Director of Economic and Community Development at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences and the Policy and Strategy Director for the New Mexico Bioscience Authority. He is also a U.S. Navy Reservist and serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and the National Institute of Flamenco. Previously, he worked as Vice President of Business Operations at the energy production company Jalapeno Corp, as Governor Susana Martinez’s Campaign Manager and Deputy Chief of Staff, and as Chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Accounting from the University of New Mexico.
Maureen Sanders, Esquire lives in Albuquerque and established the law firm of Sanders & Westbrook, PC. She has been involved in many constitutional battles seeking to protect the rights of all individuals and has engaged in election protection during many election cycles. Previously, she served as a law clerk for Judge Edwin L. Mechem, an insurance defense lawyer, General Counsel for the State Corporation Commission, Director of the Civil Division of the NM Attorney General’s Office, and a Professor at UNM Law School. Maureen graduated from St. Pius High School in Albuquerque, received an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Albuquerque-Benedictine College, a masters degree in guidance and counseling from the Southern Illinois University and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico.
Leonard Gorman, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, oversees a staff of seven professionals to address racial discrimination against Navajo citizens and advocate for Navajo human rights from the local to international levels. Mr. Gorman was awarded the Harrison and Austin Citizenship award in 2014 based on his influence on Native Americans Voting Rights. In 2017, Mr. Gorman accepted the Edward M. Kennedy Community Service award from the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity on behalf of the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission. Mr. Gorman also served as part of the Navajo Nation’s delegation that participated in the review and development of the U. N. Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Organization of American States’ Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Both UN and OAS Declarations are adopted.
Contact Us
The mission of Observe New Mexico Elections is to increase transparency and trust in New Mexico’s elections by training and deploying nonpartisan election observers throughout the state. Observers will report on how election laws and procedures are followed, representing all voters without interfering in the electoral process. Findings from their observations will be compiled to assess the overall quality of elections in New Mexico.