Rural New Mexico county seeks removal of elections clerk

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A county commission in central New Mexico is seeking to remove its top local elections regulator from office just five weeks before Election Day, citing allegations that she improperly certified vote-counting equipment. Torrance County is among a handful of New Mexico counties grappling with simmering mistrust and conspiracy theories about voting systems after former President Donald Trump lost re-election in 2020. State and local authorities say Torrance County Clerk Yvonne Otero pre-signed certification papers for ballot-counting machines before the equipment was tested, without ever attending the inspection of machines. Otero could not be reached immediately. The county is repeating its inspection of voting equipment.