Browning said New Mexico state law "does not prohibit Voter Reference - or any organization - from posting voter data online." The judge's order blocks prosecution while the case advances toward trial and said that the Voter Reference Foundation is likely to prevail in its claim as the victim of viewpoint discrimination by election regulators.
The foundation - backed by former GOP Senate candidate Doug Truax of Illinois - took its New Mexico records offline in response and sued the state in federal court, alleging violations of due process and free speech guarantees.
BLACKFIRE ONE STEP REGISTRATION
State law restricts the use of voter registration information to political campaigning and election- or government-related activities. New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, in March referred the matter the attorney general's office for possible prosecution of the Voter Reference Foundation, which published New Mexico registration records online at the time after obtaining them through an out-of-state business. New Mexico election regulators contend that the effort violates state restrictions on the purchase and dissemination of voter registration records - and is likely to discourage voter participation because people may opt out if they know that some of their voting information is being made public. The decision doesn't apply to New Mexico voters enrolled in a confidential address program aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence and stalking. The Voter Reference Foundation that created the website advocates for voting accountability by making voter information more accessible to the public.įollowing the ruling, the foundation said it would post New Mexico voter rolls online starting Tuesday. Party affiliation is listed for voters in some states but not all. The online records do not say for which candidates the people voted or how they voted on initiatives. The website provides searchable access to voter registration records by name and street addresses, often indicating when people voted in past elections.
BLACKFIRE ONE STEP CODE
District Court Judge James Browning issued an order last Friday preventing New Mexico state prosecutors from pursuing allegations of possible election code violations against the creators of. US judge OKs online publication of New Mexico voter records - By Morgan Lee Associated PressĪ conservative-backed initiative to publish voter registration records from across the country online for public consumption can move forward over the objections of New Mexico election regulators, a federal judge has ordered in a preliminary opinion.Īlbuquerque-based U.S.
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