Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has reassured New Mexico voters that their ballot drop boxes are secure following recent arson attacks on such boxes in the Pacific Northwest. In a social media statement, Toulouse Oliver stated that New Mexico’s ballot drop boxes have 24-hour video surveillance and are regularly checked by county staff. The comments came after ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington State were set on fire just days before Election Day, destroying hundreds of ballots.
KOAT Legal Expert John Day stated that while New Mexico doesn’t have specific laws related to burning a ballot drop box, there are state laws prohibiting arson. He also mentioned that federal laws could come into play if a similar incident were to occur in New Mexico. Toulouse Oliver emphasized that there is no reason to believe similar attacks will happen in the state and that voters can trust the security of the ballot drop boxes.
The reassurance comes after a false alarm in Albuquerque, where a suspicious bag found at a polling location led to an evacuation and response from the bomb squad. Authorities later deemed the area safe after finding a laptop inside the bag. Toulouse Oliver’s message serves to instill confidence in New Mexico voters ahead of Election Day, ensuring that their ballots will be safe and protected in the state’s drop boxes.
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