GOP says conflict continues on vote count in Dona Ana County

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Clashes continued Saturday between Republican election challengers and absentee ballot handlers in a southern New Mexico county at the center of a congressional swing district race. State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said that a challenger was ejected from the facility as the person tried to get close enough to the ballot tallying machine to take a photograph of vote counts. Challengers are appointed by political parties in New Mexico to be present as county election boards verify and tally ballots and can dispute the veracity of ballots for a variety of reasons. State elections regulators are seeking assurance from the Republican Party that its poll challengers are not being told to disobey election board members.