New Mexico Congresswoman Yvette Herrell’s objection to the certification of Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes has been unanimously condemned by the Las Cruces City Council.
Councilor Johana Bencomo was just one of the vocal members on the council who voiced disdain for Representative Herrell’s opposition to certifying the electoral votes.
“I think it's important for us to have this conversation because Representative Yvette Herrell represents all of us.” Bencomo said. “As this body, who I know respects the sacredness of democracy and the vote, I think this is an important public statement. We can disagree on policies, but this is not that. Disenfranchising voters is not up for argument on a policy issue.”
Prior to the certification of the 2020 presidential election, Representative Herrell addressed her opposition during the House debate.
“The Constitution gives state legislatures, not state executives or judges, the sole authority to determine how their state selects presidential electors,” Herrell said. “Nobody disputes that in Pennsylvania, as well as in other states, rules and regulations were changed by executive fiat or judicial edict. These changes were significant and irregular. They included changes to vote by mail deadlines, identity verification requirements, and other ballot handling practices.”
Originally, Councilor Yvonne Flores indicated she would not support the resolution, but was moved by the words of Councilor Tessa Abeyta-Stuve, who spoke about how election fraud claims have been dismissed in courts across America.
“Our foundations of relationships with our neighbors or friends, or family, or even with elected officials must be based on transparency and truth. And that, to me is a neutral and nonpartisan issue,” Abeyta-Stuve said. “The judicial review process also helps with that and that’s why we have the separation of powers. With this election, there were many, many claims, many lawsuits, many reviews of that process, all that found that this was a fair and legal election.”
The marginalization of voters was of large concern to Councilor Bencomo, who says minority voters were the ones most at risk of being disenfranchised.
“This is an issue of racial equity. The votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania—there was so much work done by Black, Brown and Indigenous organizations who turned out in record numbers in those states,” Bencomo said. “So, by voting to not support the certification of votes cast out of that state is inherently disenfranchising the voters of those states, which predominantly, and in huge numbers, were Black, Brown and Indigenous voters.”
Mayor Ken Miyagishima advocated for an amendment, which later passed, that stated Herrell failed to support, defend and protect the U.S. Constitution. He emphasized his vote was not a partisan one, rather a need to defend the Constitution.
“We both took this oath, Representative, to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution,” Miyagishima said. “When you voted against it, I don't think you did. I don't think you did preserve. I don't think you did protect it, and I don't think you've defended the Constitution...if I don’t vote for this then I’m not defending it either.”
