NMSA 1-20-7. Unlawful possession of absentee ballot

1-20-7. Unlawful possession of absentee ballot. Unlawful possession of absentee ballot consists of, under color of law or otherwise, the possession at any time of absentee ballot materials when not authorized by the Election Code to be in possession of such materials, or when such materials were obtained in an unlawful manner, and includes the establishment, designation or operation of any container or receptacle to receive voted ballots by a person who is not authorized by the Election Code and entering information into or altering the absentee ballot register. As used in this section, "absentee ballot materials" means an absentee ballot, absentee ballot envelopes, the absentee ballot register or an absentee ballot return. Whoever commits unlawful possession of absentee ballot is guilty of a fourth degree felony, in addition to any other offense provided by law. History: 1953 Comp., § 3-20-5.1, enacted by Laws 1971, ch. 111, § 1; 1979, ch. 378, § 17; 2023, ch. 39, § 81; 2026, ch. 58, § 10.