A couple years ago, New Mexico granted voting rights to people who had completed prison terms for felonies but were still on probation or parole. At a rally outside the Roundhouse Monday, advocates called for those rights to be extended to people still serving time.
in 2023 to an estimated 11,000 New Mexicans who'd been released after a felony conviction didn鈥檛 roll out smoothly. In response to a complaint ahead of last year鈥檚 election, a district court judge elections administrators to register those whose applications they had wrongfully denied and for the Secretary of State鈥檚 Office and Corrections Department to share data to make a person鈥檚 eligibility more clear.
introduced by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero this session would ask voters whether to go a step further and amend the state constitution so that a felony conviction is no longer grounds for losing voting rights in the first place.
If voters approve the change, New Mexico would become only the third state behind Maine and Vermont to allow people incarcerated for felonies to vote, according to . Senior Campaign Strategist Bob Libal spoke outside the Roundhouse in support of the measure.
鈥淚 really think that, here in New Mexico, we鈥檙e going to be celebrating the first state to do that in many years,鈥� he told those in attendance.
The organization estimates the change would restore the voting rights of more than 5,000 people in New Mexico, who represent a disproportionate number of Black and brown voters.
鈥淓nfranchising people regardless of their felony conviction status is good for democracy,鈥� Libel said to echoes of 鈥測es鈥� from the crowd. 鈥淓veryone should have the right to vote. Period.鈥�
Several Democratic lawmakers attended the rally in support of the measure, including Senators Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Shannon Pinto and Harold Pope Jr.
The resolution is set to be heard first in the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee. That hearing has not yet been scheduled.
