Voter Confusion In Las Cruces Causes Concern Over Outcomes

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The close mayoral race in Las Cruces wasn’t the only thing happening. Some residents there are upset over being confused aboutwhereto vote.

Unhappy votersABC-7 spoke with said they’re very concerned about what they said happened, especially because the mayor’s race was so close. Christine Beaubien said she went to the polling place she thought was hers, but found she wasn’t registered to vote there.

Poll workers directed her to a different polling site, but when she got there, she wasn’t on their list either. After all that, Christine says poll workers told her she couldn’t vote at all. That’s because, according to a voting map, Christine lives in Dona Ana County, but not in the City of Las Cruces.

However, the area where she lives was annexed to the city less than two years ago. Eventually, christine was allowed to vote. Las Cruces City Clerk, Esther Martinez, says voting locations are different for the city and the county, and that is probably what caused the confusion.

“It affects the race in the fact that if you have hundreds of voters who were unable to vote because they thought they were unable to based on information they were given, or because of the steps it would take to make that vote happen,” saidBeaubien.

“I don’t want to put the blame on the voter. I understand their frustration. I can understand that it should be an easier system, butI can recommend, if they’re concerned to call days or even weeks before elections. They can always call and make sure they are in the right place to vote,”saidMartinez.

Shealso said the city made sure that the maps were updated, and that all new streets were included.

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Written for broadcast by Doug Wernet

Edited for KVIA.com by Miguel Martinez