NMSA 1-3-4. Consolidation of precincts; voter convenience centers

1-3-4. Consolidation of precincts; voter convenience centers. A. The board of county commissioners shall establish voter convenience centers through the use of consolidated precincts for voting in a statewide election. B. When precincts are consolidated and voter convenience centers are established for statewide elections: (1) the resolution required by Section 1-3-2 NMSA 1978, in addition to the other matters required by law, shall state therein which precincts have been consolidated and the location of the voter convenience center within that consolidated precinct; (2) any voter of the county shall be allowed to vote on a regular ballot at any voter convenience center in the county; (3) each voter convenience center shall be a consolidated precinct composed of no more than ten precincts; (4) each voter convenience center shall comply with the provisions of Section 1-3-7 NMSA 1978; (5) each voter convenience center shall have a broadband internet connection and real-time synchronization to access the voter registration electronic management system; (6) the county clerk may maintain any alternate voting locations or mobile alternate voting locations previously used in the same election open for voting on election day as a voter convenience center, in addition to the voter convenience center established within each consolidated precinct; provided that the locations otherwise meet the requirements of a voter convenience center; and (7) the board of county commissioners may permit certain precincts to be exempted from operating as a voter convenience center or being a part of a consolidated precinct if the precinct is designated as a mail ballot election precinct pursuant to Section 1-6-22.1 NMSA 1978. C. Unless the county clerk receives a written waiver from the secretary of state specifying the location and specific provision being waived, each voter convenience center shall: (1) have ballots available for voters from every precinct authorized to vote at that voter convenience center; (2) have at least one optical scan tabulator programmed to read every ballot style able to be cast at that voter convenience center; (3) have at least one voting system available to assist disabled voters to cast and record their votes; (4) have sufficient spaces for at least five voters to simultaneously and privately mark their ballots, with at least one of those spaces wheelchair-accessible; (5) have sufficient check-in stations to accommodate voters throughout the day as provided in Section 1-9-5 NMSA 1978; (6) have a secure area for storage of preprinted ballots or for storage of paper ballot stock and a system designed to print ballots; (7) issue a ballot to voters who have provided the required voter identification after the voter has signed a signature roster or an electronic equivalent approved by the voting system certification committee or after the voter has subscribed an application to vote on a form approved by the secretary of state; and (8) be in a location that is accessible and compliant with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. History: 1953 Comp., § 3-3-4, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 255, § 30; 2011, ch. 131, § 3; 2015, ch. 145, § 11; 2018, ch. 79, § 4; 2019, ch. 212, § 37; 2023, ch. 39, § 16.