If you are voting by mail, on the outer envelope of your ballot packet there’s a bar code. That bar code is one way New Mexico protects the integrity of elections.
The code is unique to you. After you’ve mailed your ballot, the code will be scanned by every post office the envelope goes through and at your county clerk’s office. If the ballot gets misrouted, officials will be able to get it back on track.
This system called intelligent barcode was originally a collaboration between the Postal Service and Netflix, the movie service. Netflix used to do all its business by mailing DVDs to customers. When the intelligent barcode indicated that the customer’s return movie was in the mail, Netflix would mail out the customer’s next order, providing very fast service.
I learned this fascinating bit of technology from a webinar presented by Daniel Ivey-Soto on behalf of Common Cause, a national nonpartisan organization that focuses on fair elections. Ivey-Soto, a state senator, is one of New Mexico’s top experts on election procedure. He presented this seminar in his private capacity from a nonpartisan perspective.
Almost all voting locations, both early and Election Day, are networked within a county. If a ballot is in the mail, or if the voter has already voted in person, election workers will see that information and prevent duplicate voting.
On the other hand, our voting machines are not connected to the Internet. So they cannot be tampered with online.
A few election procedures were passed in the special legislative session in June, just for this year, in response to the pandemic.
One such procedure is the adjustment of dates.
The last day a voter could request a mail-in ballot was October 20.
If the ballot was requested and mailed on October 20, and there is any delay in the mail, it should still have arrived by October 27. If the voter returns it promptly, there is a week to get it delivered. Mailed ballots must be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.
New Mexico is one of only five states that received a guarantee from the Postal Service that mailed ballots can be delivered on time. So if you have an absentee ballot and have not yet filled it out and mailed it, I suggest you put down this newspaper and do it now!
On a mailed ballot, you must provide your signature and, specific to this election, the last four digits of your Social Security number. This is to provide an identifier that is unique to you and that is on record but that others are not likely to know.
New Mexico officials do not compare your signature with previous records. This is because your recorded signature may have been signed years ago and your handwriting may have changed. I know mine has! My hands are getting older and and I barely remember what my signature used to look like.
If you vote in person, you may find a few people at the polling place who are legally entitled to be there, who are not official election workers.
A “challenger” is a person officially designated by a political party, who has the right to challenge any questionable vote. Challengers are required to wear identification badges. Challenged votes may be submitted as “provisional” ballots, to be evaluated later.
A “watcher” may be appointed by any three candidates or by a registered election-related nonpartisan organization. Watchers can observe and make notes but cannot challenge.
Anyone whose behavior is abusive, including watchers and challengers, may be removed from the premises by the presiding judge. And there is no right for anyone to self-appoint as an observer at the polling place. So if anyone bothers or heckles you, tell the judge.
Triple Spaced Again, © New Mexico News Services 2020