SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver will urge state lawmakers to expand automated voter registration at state agency offices and embrace other initiatives aimed at encouraging voter participation, after record-breaking turnout in the state's midterm election.
The state's top election and campaign finance regulator told reporters on Tuesday that she would lobby for legislation in 2019 to allow same-day voter registration and to open major party primary elections to independent voters.
"We had a very active and engaged electorate in New Mexico this election cycle," Toulouse Oliver said. "Moving forward the goal is to sustain that level of participation."
Nearly 700,000 votes were cast in the Nov. 6th election across the state, far exceeding all previous midterm elections.