Judge: NM agency violated voter registration law

Posted at: 12/24/2010 10:15 AM
By: Sue Major Holmes, The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A federal judge has ruled New Mexico's Human Services Department is violating the National Voter Registration Act by not offering a voter registration application with every application for public assistance benefits.

A coalition of advocacy groups sued last year over compliance with the 1995 law.

This week, U.S. District Judge Judith Herrera granted the coalition's motion for a partial summary judgment in the lawsuit.

A section of the federal law requires public assistance agencies to give clients a voter registration form when clients apply for benefits, recertification or a change of address.

Herrera said the Human Services Department does not attach voter registration forms to those applications and does not automatically distribute them.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S189 ... ml?cat=504