Nora Espinoza
Republican
Would you support any changes to New Mexico’s voting procedures, such as Same Day Voter Registration, mail-in voting, or requiring photo IDs at the polls? Please explain.
Support Voter ID, with free IDs to those who don’t have one. Albuquerque has had it for ten years, with zero complaints. The US is about the only country in the world without Voter ID. I oppose Same-Day Voter Registration. It allows non-New Mexicans to pass through on Election Day, register, vote, and leave the state. Once that vote is cast it cannot be un-counted.
What actions would you take to increase voter registrations? Would you favor an “opt out” system at motor vehicle departments where eligible citizens are automatically registered to vote? If not, why not?
Registration is extremely easy and can be done on-line at any time. The only thing preventing someone from registering to vote is not wanting to register. I oppose automatic registration because legal non-citizens, temporary visa holders, and certain felons are all eligible to apply for driver’s licenses, but are ineligible to vote. Registering them “automatically,” combined with the lack of Voter ID, decreases electoral integrity.
What changes, if any, would you support in campaign finance reporting? (65 words)
Our law is unenforceable due to three key federal court decisions in 2009, 2010 and 2012. We must have bright-line provisions that clearly define who must report and what has to be disclosed—including the dark money participants, such as George Soros, who funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates like my opponent, using multiple “shell” PACs. I support legislation to address these deficiencies.
How have your abilities and experience prepared you for the duties of this office?
My background as a businesswoman and legislator taught me the distinction between legislative discretion and administrative duties. My opponent, who’s a professional political consultant, indicates she’ll use the SOS position to impose her ideas. That’s wrong. The office is administrative. The SOS must follow the law—not attempt to create law. The SOS must ensure elections integrity without favoring any one group over any other.
