89.9 FM Live From The University Of New Mexico
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Republican Poll Challenger detained for voting twice

A Republican poll challenger was arrested Election Day when he tried to vote a second time.

The Silver City Sun-News reports the challenger stood in line and requested a ballot before revealing his Republican poll challenger credentials.  He was given a provisional ballot and according to the Democratic poll challenger who says he witnessed the exchange, the Republican poll challenger said he wanted to quote- see what the system would do- if he tried to vote twice.  Officials called local law enforcement and the man was questioned, detained, and then released.

Grant County elections officials say the incident demonstrates how the New Mexico elections system prevents voter fraud... and that the Republican challenger who tried to vote twice would have been prevented from doing so when his provisional ballot was reviewed.  According to witnesses, it wasn't until after he received the provisional ballot that he told officials he had already voted.

Grant Count clerk Robert Zamarripa says the poll challenger who tried to vote twice mis-used his poll challenger credentials.  Zamarripa says his office would like to see charges filed in the case.