A team of observers who fanned out across New Mexico polling sites during the June primary election said workers at a polling place in rural Union County required voters to present identification, which New Mexico law does not require.
The nonpartisan Observe New Mexico Elections said it enlisted 45 volunteers between April and June to observe key stages of the primary to help strengthen voter confidence in elections, including voting machine certification, poll worker training and results certification, as well as vote counting of absentee, early and election day ballots.
The group released a report Tuesday that characterized New Mexico’s primary election as “generally calm, orderly, and well-administered” across locations in all 33 counties. But in a statement, Carmen López, the group’s co-lead, said observers noted “a few challenges related to navigating the voting process, which were addressed promptly with minimal disruption.”
A news release from the organization also said it intends to share findings with county and election officials, along with recommendations for improving voter processes in advance of the Nov. 3 general election.
For instance, in Union County, observers at an unspecified polling location reported that voters were consistently asked to present physical forms of identification in order to vote. As a result, 150 voters were “inappropriately asked” for ID at the polling site, according to the group.
The rural, predominantly Republican county in northeast New Mexico saw roughly 35% turnout during the primary election, in which 785 of 2,512 eligible voters cast ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Poll workers told voters that presenting identification is not mandatory, but will be eventually, so voters should get used to it, according to Observe New Mexico Elections.
Union County Clerk Devian Fields did not respond to Source NM’s requests for comment Wednesday regarding the report’s allegations. Fields, a Republican, was first elected to the role in 2024.
López told Source NM in a statement Wednesday that her group shared early drafts of its report with Union County officials, who “neither affirmed nor denied what our observer watched.” In its news release, ONME recommended Union County “update its poll worker training to ensure that voter check-in procedures align with state law.”
Observers did not report similar, illegal identification requirements in any of the 34 other polling sites they visited during the June 2 primary.
The group’s report also flagged issues at Sandoval County polling sites related to both the county’s provision of election materials in multiple languages and requirements for observers to be granted access to polling sites.
The report concluded that Sandoval County failed to provide multilingual written materials, particularly in tribal languages, and also said the county required ONME’s observers to procure county-provided photo IDs before they could access polling sites. That requirement, which the group contends violates state regulations, harmed the group’s ability to train and recruit observers and otherwise impeded “election transparency,” according to the report.
Shawn Perry-Turner, Sandoval County’s director of marketing and communications, pointed Source NM to a memorandum county officials provided the observer group that lays out its responses.
In that memo, county officials disagreed that state law required it to provide written, multilingual voting materials if the county has adequate translators on hand. They also noted that no voter requested ballot translation help at the polling site observers attended.
They also said no observer was ever required to procure a photo ID to access polling sites and affirmed that doing so will remain voluntary in future elections.
“At the same time, we appreciate ONME’s recognition that the 2026 Primary Election was administered in a calm, orderly, professional, and secure manner without evidence of systemic irregularities,” Sandoval County officials wrote.
