Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office warns about election misinformation circulating online

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- The Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office warned about misinformation spreading online alleging that election workers wrote on voters' ballots, disqualifying ballots.

"While the claim does not appear to have originated in Doña Ana County, it has spread throughout New Mexico, causing potential confusion among voters," the county said in a news release.

The false post reads:

"VOTERS BEWARE!!

A very reliable good friend of a family member just finished POLL worker training, and she texted this:
Just finished Poll Manager training! I passed all the classes. I want you all to know something...if you are checking in at the polls and they happen to write anything on your ballot before they give it to you to put in the voting machine...a letter, a checkmark, a star, an R or a D any writing of any kind...please request a new ballot. Your ballot could be disqualified if it is written on. Please be on the lookout for this type of behavior.

Please, please pass this on to friends and family."

The county said the claim is false and that "poll worker managers" is not an official election position in New Mexico. Additionally, election officials don't write on voters' ballots.

Additionally, writing on a ballot does not automatically disqualify it. If a ballot cannot be read by a tabulator, it may still be counted through the appropriate procedures, including a hand tally when necessary.

The Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office encourages voters to seek out accurate, verified election information from trusted sources, including the Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office and the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office. Sharing unverified claims can unintentionally spread misinformation and undermine voter confidence.