Democracy for New Mexico

Have You Received a Misleading GOP Robocall on Early Voting?

There's anecdotal evidence emerging that the GOP may be conducting robocalls that provide inaccurate information about early voting sites in the Albuquerque area. The other day, Cocoposts had this to say:

Meanwhile, the shameless and desperate GOP is robo-calling around spewing misinformation to confuse voters into not voting - leaving a message for a friend of mine in the University area that early voting just started and that he must drive across the river to Paradise Hills to cast a ballot

Reality: there's an early vote site much closer, at the UNM Student Union Building.

Is the misleading info in the robocall by the GOP just a mistake, or is it something else designed to discourage people from voting by claiming the closest voting site is far away? Is the GOP targeting people in the UNM area because there's a high liklihood they'll vote for Democrats? What's going on here, if anything?

Has It Happened to You? If you or someone you know has received a similar robocall from the GOP, please let me know in the comments on this thread or contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand corner of the page. Albuquerque Journal reporter Dan McKay indicated in a comment on Coco's post that he's also interested in any recorded messages or other evidence that the Republicans are conducting a deceptive robocall campaign. Do you know anything?

Early Voting Sites: FYI, see below the jump for a listing of early in-person voting sites in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia Counties provided by the League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico. If you are registered, you can vote early at any of the sites within the county where you reside from now thru November 1, 2008:

EARLY VOTING

Beginning October 7 you may vote "absentee in person" at the following county clerk's office locations, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, November 1, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County Clerk's Office Annex, 620 Lomas NW (6th and Lomas), Albuquerque

Sandoval County
Sandoval County Voting Machine Warehouse, 800 South Hill Road, Bernalillo

Valencia County
Valencia County Courthouse, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas

From Saturday, October 18 through Saturday, November 1 you may vote early at alternative voting sites throughout the county where you are registered to vote. The hours are:

Tuesday through Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 18 and 25 and November 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The following Early Voting locations are open beginning Saturday, October 18.

Bernalillo County:

Tijeras City Hall, 12 Camino Municipal, Tijeras

Paradise Hills Community Center, 5901 Paradise Blvd NW

Los Ranchos Villa, 6601 4th St NW, Suites A, B, C

Coors Plaza, 3200 Coors NW, Suite A

Integrity Plaza, 1512 Wyoming NE, Suites F&G

Plaza Paseo Del Norte, 9231 Coors NW, Suite R-8

Siesta Hills Shopping Center, 5407 Gibson SE

Del Norte Shopping Center, 7120 Wyoming NE, Suite 16

Market Center East, 11110 Lomas NE, Suite E-4

98th & Central Shopping Center, 120 98th St NW, Suite B-5

Goff Plaza, 1720 Bridge SW Suite G

Daskalos Shopping Center, 5339 & 5339A Menaul NE

Juan Tabo Plaza, 11012 Montgomery NE

CNM - South Valley Campus, 5816 Isleta Blvd. SW

University of New Mexico Student Union Building

Sandoval County:

Rio Rancho City Hall, 3200 Civic Center Circle NE, Rio Rancho

Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane, Rio Rancho

San Ysidro Public Safety Training Room, 398 Highway 4, San Isidro

Valencia County:

Valencia County Courthouse, Commission Room, 444 Luna Ave. Los Lunas, NM 87031

Belen Community Center, 304 Eagle Lane, Belen, NM 87002

10/21: Tom Udall to Tour in Dona Ana County, Alamogordo

On Tuesday, October 21, 2008, US Senate candidate Tom Udall will hold campaign events in Hatch, Las Cruces, San Miguel, and Chaparral in Doña Ana County, capping the day with an early voting rally in Alamogordo.

Udall will start with a tour of the areas in Hatch devastated by flooding in 2006 and the FEMA housing still being used by some residents there. Udall will be joined by Hatch Mayor Judd Nordyke and Doña Ana County Housing Authority Executive Director Tom Hassel.

In Las Cruces, one of the top ten retirement communities in the nation, Udall hold a meet and greet with seniors at the Munson Senior Center. Next, Udall will visit San Miguel to learn about the Tres Manos Program, a micro-enterprise development program targeting low-income families. In Chaparral, Udall will meet with locals at the Wright Ranch before travelling to Alamogordo for an early voting rally. See details below:

HATCH FLOOD AREA AND FEMA HOUSING TOUR
Tuesday, October 21th, 9 – 10:20 AM
B&E Burrito, 300 Franklin St., Hatch, NM

MUNSON SENIOR CENTER MEET & GREET
Tuesday, October 21th, 11 AM – 12 PM
Munson Senior Center, 975 S. Mesquite St.
Las Cruces, NM

SAN MIGUEL TRES MANOS EVENT
Tuesday, October 21th, 1:30 – 2:15 PM
Youth Development Building
19030 Hwy. 28, San Miguel, NM

CHAPARRAL MEET & GREET
Tuesday, October 21th, 3 – 4 PM
Wright Ranch, 150 W. Lisa Drive
Chaparral, NM

ALAMOGORDO EARLY VOTING RALLY
October 21st, 5:30 – 6:15 PM
Maximinos Restaurant, 2300 N. White Sands Blvd.
Alamogordo, NM

Must Read: Obama Camp Connects ACORN Probe to US Attorneys Scandal

See . This ACORN "vote fraud" stuff is rehashed garbage from last time out, pure and simple. And now we're seeing it's being orchestrated by the usual Republican suspects for the usual reasons -- to suppress voting by Democrats and provide an excuse for possible legal action after (IF) we win. This time, however, the Obama campaign is on it. Seems clear to me that the R's can't win unless they cheat, lie and steal, which they're perfectly willing to do for their "cause." Shameful, aren't they? In the last debate, McCain could actually say with a straight face that ACORN was "now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy." No, Johnny, that would be the many voter suppression crusades repeatedly undertaken by Republicans from the 1960s on.

Saturday Early Voting Events Around New Mexico

There are tons of Early Vote events taking place Saturday, October 18, 2008, when Early Voting begins at satellite locations all over New Mexico. I've posted a few of them, but be sure to check our Coming Events listing on the right-hand sidebar and visit the New Mexico for Obama site for a listing of Early Vote rallies, marches and other events all over the state. Click to find the Early Vote locations in your area. Also see our previous post with info on Early Voting in New Mexico in 2008.

10/18: Valencia County Early Vote Kick-Off BBQ

The Valencia County Obama Campaign for Change is hosting an Early Vote Kick-Off BBQ on Saturday, October 18, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at the Law Offices of State Sen. Michael Sanchez at 505 Main Street SW in Los Lunas. Free food and drinks. Live musical performance by Ralph Miramontes. Free shuttles to Early Vote Sites. Go Obama! Avoid long lines on Election Day! Early voting ends November 1. Valencia County Early Vote sites:

• County Clerk's Office, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas: Mon. 8AM-5PM, Tues.-Fri. 8AM-8PM, Sat. 10AM-6PM
  
• Belen School Administration Building, 520 N. Main, Belen: Tues.-Fri. 12-8PM, Sat. 10AM-6PM.

10/18: We The People Rock Early Vote Music Fest on Taos Plaza

Taos AMP, a program of Open Hearth, Inc.,
is proud to present the:
We The People...Rock! Early Vote Music Fest!
Saturday, October 18, 11 AM - 3 PM on the Taos Plaza
Music Bringing US Together
featuring
Blackhill Flute Music from the Walls of Taos Pueblo
Omar Rane & Katie Palmier Classic Rhythm & Blues
Franco Mares Latin & Country Love Songs
Roger Landes & Nakul Deshpande
Balkan & Middle Eastern music
Teotihuacan Authentic Mariachi
Zanagroove funk & Soul
sound donated by tone palace productions
Free Shuttle from Taos Plaza to vote early
(Drivers needed please call Brooke today!)
Free Food donated by Food Not Bombs

This is a non-partisan, fully volunteer event. OH is encouraging participation in the democratic process, and how music can bring us together. OH and TaosAMP do not support any particular candidates. Any questions, call event coordinator Brooke Zanetell: 575-751-1703 or 575-770-6830.

Weekend Rally in Corrales NM: 8-Year Old Recites 'Yes We Can'

We are gonna win this thing -- IF we keep on working straight through November 4th. Only 22 more days! Have you voted early yet? You can do it in person at your County Clerk's office. Or you can request an application to vote early via mail-in ballot. Starting on October 18, you can do it in person at additional early polling places in most counties. Vote early and then volunteer to work for a candidate on Election Day on November 4th. See www.voteforchange.com/ and the Obama New Mexico page. Also see my previous post that provides more info on early voting.

Campaign for Change Needs Polling Place Volunteers

We all know how crucial it is to be proactive in ensuring election integrity this year. One way to do just that is to volunteer to keep a watch on the voting process and polling places. I'm passing along info from an email from a local Dem Party Ward officer about the pressing need for more volunteers. Pass it on:

It’s less than a month until the election. As many of you know, the Campaign for Change (affiliated with the NM Democratic Party) is working hard to ensure a safe and valid election by training and assigning challengers to various polling places throughout the state. We really need volunteers at the counties listed below, as well as additional Bernalillo County volunteers. Volunteers must be registered in the counties where they are assigned.

If you know any registered Democrats in the counties listed below who you think might be interested in working for the cause on November 4th, please contact them and ask them to go to the following website:

https://my.barackobama.com/nmpromotethevote

Each person will be well-trained before assigning them to a polling place. County volunteer goals:

COUNTY VOLUNTEER GOAL: TOTAL 542

• SANTA FE 75
  
• DONA ANA 57
  
• SANDOVAL 35
  
• MCKINLEY 32
  
• RIO ARRIBA 20
  
• TAOS 19
  
• EDDY 19
  
• VALENCIA 18
  
• SAN MIGUEL 17
  
• GRANT 13
  
• SAN JUAN 17
  
• CIBOLA 8
  
• LUNA 7
  
• SOCORRO 6
  
• OTERO 5
  
• LEA 4
  
• GUADALUPE 4
  
• LOS ALAMOS 3
  
• TORRANCE 3
  
• COLFAX 3
  
• SIERRA 2
  
• MORA 2
  
• CHAVES 1
  
• LINCOLN 1

Thank you for your enthusiasm and involvement. Go Obama!

Obama Campaign Registers 35,500 Voters in Last Month in NM

Maybe this is one reason why

Today Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change (CFC) announced that it surpassed its goal of registering 30,000 new voters in 30 days. Statewide, CFC registered more than 35,500 new voters from September 7th to October 7th, the voter registration deadline.

I'm impressed. And the same thing is happening all over the country, including the big battleground states. In many states, new Dem registrations total in the hundreds of thousands and are outnumbering those by Repubs by a 4 and 5 to 1 ratio. Now all we have to do is get all these newly registered voters to cast their ballots. Get involved.

“We are incredibly pleased not only with the hard work and commitment of our volunteers and supporters, but also the excitement throughout New Mexico for Barack Obama’s message of change,” said New Mexico’s Campaign for Change State Director Adrian Saenz. “New Mexicans are hungry to get involved in the political process and reject another four year of the same failed Bush economic policies. From Las Vegas to Las Cruces, people are responding to Senator Obama’s commitment to making the economy work for middle class families and fundamentally changing how politics works.

The “30/30 Project” was part of Campaign for Change’s voter outreach efforts. This major voter registration effort comes to an end successfully less than one month before the presidential election. Voters can request to Vote By Mail from now through October 30th. Early Vote takes place October 18 through November 1st at county clerk offices and satellite locations throughout the state. New Mexicans can fill out a Vote By Mail application request or find their local Early Vote locations and hours by coming into any Campaign for Change office across the state, by visiting their county clerk’s office or by visiting www.voteforchange.com.

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(Updated) Early Voting Info for 2008 Election

Update: Starting October 24, 2008, Early In-Person Voting hours in Bernalillo County were extended. See the new hours here (pdf).
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The bad news: If you aren't registered to vote, I'm afraid it's now too late. Yesterday, October 7, 2008, was the deadline in New Mexico to register to vote in the 2008 general election (if you weren't already registered).

The good news: Today marks the beginning of absentee voting by mail and in-person at County Clerk offices all over New Mexico. Starting October 18, 2008, you can vote early in-person at additional locations in many counties.

If you live outside Bernalillo County, please check with your County Clerk office.

If you live in Bernalillo County, here's what you need to know:

Where do I Vote? You can check your voter registration, find your November 4th polling place and get a sample ballot by entering your name and birthdate. Visit .

In Person Absentee Voting
Clerk’s Office Annex Downtown
Beginning Tuesday, October 7, 2008
620 Lomas NW, Albuquerque
*Note that this has changed from 1 Civic Plaza 6th Floor

Tuesday October 7 – Friday October 10: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 13 – Friday October 17: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 20 – Friday October 24: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 27 – Friday October 31: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday November 1: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Absentee Mail-In Ballot Applications may be requested from the County Clerk via:

Phone: (505) 468-1291 option 2
Email: clerk@bernco.gov
Fax: (505) 768-4631
In Person: 1 Civic Plaza NW, 6th Fl., Albuquerque
Mail: PO Box 542, Albuquerque, NM 87103-0542

You can also download an Absentee Mail-In Ballot Application at the NM Secretary of State website.

You must request your Absentee Mail-In Ballot from the County Clerk by October 31, 2008. You must return your completed Absentee Mail-In Ballot to the County Clerk's office by 5:00 PM on November 4, 2008. You can mail or hand-deliver it.

*New Feature* Absentee Ballot Tracker: Track the status of your absentee ballot online: www.bernco.gov/absenteevote/

Early Voting at Satellite Locations
From October 18 through November 1, 2008, you can vote early at these additional locations in Bernalillo County:

– Beginning Saturday, October 18, 2008:

• Tijeras City Hall, 12 Camino Municipal - Tijeras
• Paradise Hills Community Center, 5901 Paradise Blvd NW
• Los Ranchos Villa, 6601 4th St NW, Suites A,B, C
• Coors Plaza, 3200 Coors NW, Suite A
• Integrity Plaza, 1512 Wyoming NE, Suites F&G
• Plaza Paseo Del Norte, 9231 Coors NW, Suite R-8
• Siesta Hills Shopping Center, 5407 Gibson SE
• Del Norte Shopping Center, 7120 Wyoming NE, Suite 16
• Market Center East, 11110 Lomas NE, Suite E-4
• 98th & Central Shopping Center, 120 98th St NW, Suite B-5
• Goff Plaza, 1720 Bridge SW, Suite G
• Daskalos Shopping Center, 5339 & 5339A Menaul NE
• Juan Tabo Plaza, 11012 Montgomery NE
• CNM – South Valley Campus, 5816 Isleta Blvd., SW
• University of New Mexico Student Union Building

Hours:

• Saturday October 18: 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Tuesday October 21 – Friday October 24: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
• Saturday October 25: 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Tuesday October 28 – Friday October 31: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
• Saturday November 1: 10:00am – 6:00pm

LWV Voters' Guide
To learn more about the candidates, check out the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of New Mexico Voters' Guide.

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