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Friday, February 14, 2025

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Federal prosecutors in NY and DC resign after refusing to drop Mayor Eric Adams charges; IN weighs Bitcoin bet in state investments; In rural east KY, communities find ways to boost kids early learning; and start date for MN's paid leave law is now up for debate.

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Federal workers tasked with securing elections from foreign interference are placed on leave, parents' organizations reject dismantling Dept. of Education, and the Congressional Black Caucus presses discussions on slavery reparations.

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Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

In unseasonably warm temperatures, NM voters head to the polls

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Tuesday, June 4, 2024   

New Mexico voters are headed to the polls today, where all 42 state Senate and 70 state House seats technically are up for grabs - although many are uncontested. At last count, there were about 1,337,000 registered voters - 43% Democrats and 31% registered as Republicans.

Joseph Roybal-Sánchez, AARP New Mexico state director, reminds voters that it's too late to mail in an absentee ballot, but people can still cast a ballot in person today, providing they register with a political party.

"Same-day registration is offered at every polling place on Election Day, and each county offers at least two valid drop-off boxes. And Tribes have access to the same resources for voting as other parts of New Mexico," he said.

In the closely watched District 2 - an area along the Mexican border - there's a rematch between first-term Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-El Paso, and Republican Yvette Herrell - defeated by Vasquez in 2022. The Bernalillo County Clerk said last week that early voter turnout has been low - even lower than the last presidential primary, in the middle of a pandemic.

New Mexico has a closed primary system, which means Democrats may not vote in the Republican primary or vice versa, and Independent or unaffiliated voters cannot participate in either primary. But Roybal-Sánchez said New Mexico nonetheless is a state that makes voting easy - thanks to passage of the 2023 New Mexico Voting Rights Act.

"You do not need identification to vote if you have been a voter in New Mexico. If you're voting for the very first time - and you show up on Election Day - you should bring some form of an I.D," he said.

AARP, which focuses on issues affecting people over age 50, continues to advocate for paid family medical leave in New Mexico. Legislation to that effect was narrowly rejected earlier this year by the Democrat-led House of Representatives. Thirteen states and Washington, D.C., guarantee paid leave. Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.


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