For decades independent voters have been complaining about being left out of New Mexico’s closed primary elections – now somebody is doing something about it. Lawyers plan to slap election officials with a lawsuit in Bernalillo County District Court next Tuesday, June 3: Election Day. It won’t stop the primary election, but they hope it will let more New Mexicans vote next time around. You know how this thing works: Republicans get to vote in the Republican primary, Democrats vote in the Democratic primary. Independents and minor party members don’t get to vote in the primaries, even though their tax dollars will help to pick up the $3 million for next week’s election. David Crum is an independent voter who moved to New Mexico about 20 years ago.
“I went and tried to vote in a primary and was told, rather rudely, that I didn’t have the right to vote,” Crum said. “I was declined the right to vote and I haven’t voted in a primary here for the last, nearly 20 years.”
Crum’s lawyer, Edward Hollington, prepared Crum’s lawsuit. It’s all about the State Constitution.
“Article VII Section 1 says all qualified electors – that means all registered voters – shall be qualified to vote in all elections for public officers,” Hollington said. “It doesn’t except primary versus general. It says ALL elections.”
Full Article: Independent voters plan lawsuit over closed primary elections | KOB.com.