News Clips

After the COVID-19 pandemic ripped through Indian Country in New Mexico this spring, voter turnout among Native Americans declined while the rest of the state experienced an unprecedented boost in voting during the presidential primary, according to a new report from Common Cause New Mexico.

A new report by Common Cause New Mexico outlines the damage to Native American turnout in the June 2 election. It found that turnout in Native American precincts fell by 1 percentage point in the 2020 primary election, compared with four years earlier, even as voter participation surged by 8 points throughout the state as a whole.

Our Executive Director, Heather Ferguson, sat down with Lorene Mills to discuss the challenges COVID-19 is presenting for our democracy -- from voting by mail to the census and redistricting.

Many members of the Acoma Pueblo and other tribes across the state faced significant barriers when trying to vote during the 2020 primary.

Amber Carrillo from Common Cause New Mexico reminds us why temporary changes to voting procedures are important for Indigenous communities during the pandemic, and the challenging decision by tribal administration to limit or cut polling locations during the primary.

Heather Ferguson, executive director for Common Cause New Mexico was the guest speaker at the League of Women Voters virtual Lunch with a Leader Jun. 16.