Top health official in New Mexico leaves after less than 2 years on the job - Associated Press
New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Patrick Allen is leaving after less than two years on the job.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made the announcement Wednesday, saying Allen would be stepping down at the end of the day. She did not give a reason for his departure, but she said she appreciated his contributions to the state Health Department.
Allen is the latest in a long line of cabinet secretaries to leave the administration. Lujan Grisham is midway through her second term and just in recent months, there has been turnover at key agencies including the Public Education Department and the Children, Youth and Families Department.
Lujan Grisham appointed Allen to the top post in the Health Department in January 2023, citing his policy experience. He had previously served as director of the Oregon Health Authority.
Lujan Grisham's health policy advisor, Gina DeBlassie, will serve as interim cabinet secretary.
The governor's office said DeBlassie has more than 30 years of health care expertise and formerly served as chief operating officer for a company that provides home care services for seniors. She also stepped in last year as the interim head of the state's Aging and Long-Term Services Department when that secretary retired.
Auditor cites improper use of public funds at Western New Mexico University - Associated Press
Top officials and regents at Western New Mexico University failed to uphold their fiduciary responsibilities by consistently running afoul of travel and purchasing policies, according to investigators with the New Mexico state auditor's office.
The agency made public its findings Tuesday, saying a review of spending between July 2018 and June 2023 identified numerous instances of wasteful spending and improper use of public funds. The review cited more than $363,000 in spending that didn't comply with university rules.
State lawmakers started raising questions last year about international trips by university President Joseph Shepard, his wife's use of a university purchasing card and spending on high-end furniture. At the time, Shepard said that regents vetted his spending requests and that he was familiar with policies and procedures that govern the spending of public money.
Despite the scrutiny, regents threw their support behind Shepard. They declined to stop international travel despite a recommendation by the state Higher Education Department that a cost-benefit analysis be done before trips resumed.
State Auditor Joseph Maestas sent a letter Monday to the university Board of Regents President Mary Hotvedt. In it, he noted that the review found "a concerning lack of compliance" with established university policies.
"Without strong and committed leadership to reinforce the internal control system, the university remains at significant risk for fraud, waste, and abuse," Maestas wrote. "Effective governance is crucial in setting the tone at the top, embracing accountability and transparency, and ensuring that all employees understand the importance of these controls and adhere to them diligently."
When asked if Shepard would comment on the findings, the university provided a statement from Hotvedt that indicated the concerns have been addressed by university leadership and that an independent audit was pending.
Hotvedt said university policies have been updated and travel and procurement procedures have been revised. Staff also is being trained to ensure compliance, and an independent analysis is being done to determine any benefits from the university's international initiatives.
The university declined to say whether there would be any sanctions for the policy violations.
The state auditor's investigation looked at more than 400 instances of domestic and international travel and lodging that didn't comply with university policies and rules. That included trips that Shepard took that appeared unrelated to official university business, such as conferences and events where his wife was a guest speaker.
Shepard's wife, Valerie Plame, is a former CIA operations officer who ran unsuccessfully for New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District in the 2020 Democratic primary.
Heinrich questions FEMA chief over delays for those who lost everything in northern NM wildfire - By Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
U.S. Sen Martin Heinrich continued the New Mexico congressional delegation’s push to compensate victims of the state’s biggest-ever wildfire Wednesday, questioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator about why people who lost everything are still waiting two years later.
The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office, which FEMA oversees, is in charge of paying out about $4 billion to compensate victims of the 534-square-mile wildfire that was the federal government’s fault – caused by two botched prescribed burns on federal land. The agency has paid out about $1.5 billion so far.
But Heinrich (D-NM), speaking at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, challenged FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about whether that money is going to families whose homes or livelihoods were destroyed by the fire. The delegation has repeatedly called on FEMA to make payments more quickly and make the program fairer.
“What can FEMA do differently so that the folks who literally lost everything in the fire are not the last to get their compensation?” he asked.
Criswell responded that the office has increased its staffing throughout the year and that payments have increased as a result.
“But we know we have more work to do. We continue to bring in our staffing and ensure that we have the right amount of people, the right amount of resources,” Criswell said.
Claims from people who lost their homes tend to be more complicated and individualized, which means they take more work from more staff to process, Criswell said. That’s where the increased staffing has helped, she said.
It’s not clear how many people who lost their primary residences are still waiting for compensation from the fund. Several hundred homes were lost in the fire. About 145 households qualified for FEMA housing assistance in the fire’s aftermath, which meant their primary residences were destroyed or unliveable.
The office has not provided that figure to Source New Mexico despite multiple requests. And, according to a Heinrich spokesperson, it also has not given it to members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation.
The delegation sent a letter Nov. 1 asking for that figure and for answers to 12 other questions about the status of the claims process, citing some progress but saying “improvements to the Claims Office’s processes and best practices are still sorely needed.”
The letter also asked the claims office how it was handling fair compensation for “culturally and structurally unique” losses, including adobe homes, and how it was ensuring food loss payments are made equitably. A recent Source New Mexico story revealed the office pays men more than women for food lost in the fire.
The food-payment issue and perceived lack of payments to those who lost their homes were among the reasons a small group of protesters gathered in late October in front of the FEMA headquarters. They called on the agency to prioritize total losses before paying out other types of damage.
As of late September, the office had paid out around $400 million in claims to about 4,200 people and businesses for smoke damage, a process the claims office designed to be quick and simple and one that applies to a roughly 2,200-square-mile area around the burn scar.
The rest of the $1.5 billion spent so far has gone to local governments, including $100 million to the City of Las Vegas, N.M., to replace its drinking water system, as well as for reforestation on private land and to businesses, nonprofits and tribal governments.
A FEMA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
$1.5 BILLION MORE PENDING
Criswell’s appearance comes as President Joe Biden is seeking Congress’ approval on a package of disaster-related funding, including $40 billion to FEMA, as his presidency comes to an end.
Included in that $40 billion request is $1.5 billion for the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims. If approved, that would mean the victims were awarded $5.45 billion in compensation for the 340,000-acre wildfire, minus administrative costs.
Heinrich asked Criswell what the additional money would be needed for.
Criswell said she’d seen an “independent actuarial report” that showed the total losses to the fire exceeded $5 billion. So, while she said her office can pay the claims that have been submitted to date, the claims office needs the extra money to pay what it expects future claims will cost.
Without the additional funding, “I will not be able to meet the claims down the road based on what I believe is an accurate report from this independent actuary,” she said.
A claims office spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for the independent report. Heinrich’s office deferred comment to FEMA.
State offers emergency relief to Roswell-area flood victims on food assistance - By Nash Jones, KUNM News
New Mexico is offering emergency relief to residents on food assistance impacted by recent historic flooding in the southern part of the state. The Health Care Authority announced Wednesday it will replace food benefits used on food that was lost in the floods and offer temporary coverage of prepared meals.
The department said in a statement that the benefit replacement offer is reserved for Chaves County residents in certain zip codes who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps.
Those who qualify must report their loss to the Authority by Monday, Nov. 25. That can be done at the department’s Roswell office or by phone at (800)283-4465. The department can also replace customers’ EBT cards as needed.
Additionally, the agency is expanding SNAP benefits to include hot meals in Chaves County and the wider flood-affected area, including De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Otero counties.
Until Dec. 17, those residents can use their EBT cards to buy usually-prohibited prepared meals at grocery stores and other authorized stores. Restaurants remain excluded. The federal government approved the temporary hot-food benefits in President Biden’s disaster declaration earlier this month.
What to know about Transgender Day of Remembrance and violence against trans people - By Andrew Demillo Associated Press, KUNM News
Wednesday is Transgender Day of Remembrance, which focuses on trans people who have lost their lives because of violence. Here is what to know.
WHAT IS TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE?
Transgender Day of Remembrance is marked every Nov. 20 and began in 1999 to honor Rita Hester, a trans woman who was killed in Massachusetts.
The day marks the end of Transgender Awareness Week, which is used to raise public knowledge about the transgender community and the issues they face.
The Williams Institute at UCLA Law estimates that 1.6 million people in the U.S. ages 13 and older identify as transgender. And it says transgender people are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violence, including rape and assault.
Candlelight vigils, memorials and other events are held to mark the day. The Human Rights Campaign also released its annual report on deaths of transgender people in conjunction with the day.
International Transgender Day of Visibility, which is designed to bring attention to transgender people, is commemorated in March.
To mark the day in Albuquerque, the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico is partnering with Central New Mexico Community College to host trans activist Diamond Stylz, executive director of the national nonprofit Black Transwomen Inc. and host of the Black trans podcast, Marsha’s Plate. Diamond will facilitate a workshop Wednesday titled Beyond the Stonewall, which, “Explores the often-overlooked history of transgender individuals in America and their enduring fight for social justice,” according to the resource center.
Dinner will also be served at the event, which begins at 7 p.m. in Smith-Brasher Hall on the CNM campus.
HOW MANY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO VIOLENCE?
At least 36 transgender people have died from violence in the 12 months since the last Day of Remembrance, the Human Rights Campaign said in its annual report. Since 2013, the organization has recorded the deaths from violence of 372 victims who were transgender and gender-expansive — which refers to someone with a more flexible range of gender identity or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system.
The number of victims is likely higher because many deaths often aren't reported or are misreported, or misgendering of the victims leads to delays in their identification.
The Human Rights Campaign said there was a slight increase from the previous year, when it identified at least 33 transgender victims of violence.
A large number of the victims tracked over the past year were young or people of color, with Black transgender women making up half of the 36 identified. The youngest victim identified was 14-year-old Pauly Likens of Pennsylvania.
Two-thirds of the fatalities involved a firearm, the organization said. Nearly a third of the victims with a known killer were killed by an intimate partner, a friend or a family member.
WHAT IS AT STAKE POLITICALLY?
This year's remembrance follows an election where advocates say victories by President-elect Donald Trump and other Republican candidates who focused on issues like transgender athletes dealt a setback to trans people's rights.
It also follows a wave of measures enacted in Republican states this year restricting the rights of transgender people, especially youth.
Half the states have banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments next month in a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's ban.
Advocates say the legislation and rhetoric is creating fewer safe spaces for transgender people, and they worry it could spur more violence against trans people.
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Associated Press writer Jeff McMillan in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report. KUNM News added details about a local event.
New Mexico Broadband Office wants $70M for satellite, high-speed internet - By Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
As people wait for new high-speed internet to get installed along power lines or beneath the ground, New Mexico’s broadband agency wants to use public funds to cover some of the cost of getting high-speed internet from space.
The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion on Tuesday asked the Legislative Finance Committee for $70 million to help cover the cost of connecting to satellite high-speed internet. The committee makes budgetary recommendations to the full Legislature.
About 95,000 households in New Mexico are either too remote to receive high-speed internet or do not have the money to pay for it, said Drew Lovelace, the broadband office’s acting director.
Those include parts of Albuquerque but also more mountainous or remote areas in the eastern and western parts of the state, Lovelace said.
Over a five-year period while high-speed internet lines are built, the money would pay for a $600 satellite receiver to get connected, along with $30 toward the $120 total monthly bill. The program is called Accelerate Connect New Mexico.
The only satellite internet provider in the market right now with satellites close enough to the planet’s surface to do high-speed internet is Starlink, Lovelace said. There are other companies with satellites farther away into space, but as far as he’s aware, none of those provide a fast enough connection speed.
Starlink is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead a not-yet-defined commission to evaluate government spending.
Sen. Benny Shendo (D-Jemez) asked Lovelace about what he thinks could change with the new presidential administration, especially since Starlink “used to have the inside track on these conversations.”
Lovelace responded in part by saying federal money for high-speed internet is already obligated to the state of New Mexico, and it would take an act of Congress to change that.
“There’s a lot we can think about and prepare for — what’s nice to think about with infrastructure is that whether you have an R or a D behind your name, if you do not have connectivity, you want connectivity,” Lovelace said.
Lovelace said according to data Starlink has shared with his office, there are only about 200 places in New Mexico that couldn’t get satellite coverage. As an example, he said, those places might be too deep within a valley for the signal to reach.
If the Legislative Finance Committee includes the requested money in the state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, and lawmakers vote to pass the budget, the money would become available to the agency in July 2025.
Lovelace said it would take another six months to hire a satellite high-speed internet provider and actually start the program.
Alec Baldwin film 'Rust' has world premiere with dedication to cinematographer killed on set - By Vanessa Gera Associated Press
Alec Baldwin's Western "Rust" had its world premiere Wednesday at a film festival in Poland with a dedication to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was fatally shot in an accident on the set three years ago.
Organizers called for a minute of silence before showing the film, which opened to a full house at the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage in the city of Torun, and received applause at the end.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
Souza introduced the film at the festival, a popular industry event dedicated to cinematography. He told the audience that initially after the accident he could not have imagined continuing with the production, or even working on a movie set or writing again.
"It just hurt too much," he said.
But Hutchins' husband, Matthew, wanted the film to be finished, and came on as an executive producer.
"It was important to him that the people who knew and loved Halyna get to see her final work," Souza said. The mission became "to preserve every single frame that I could of hers, and to honor her final work."
"Rust" — which includes scene after scene of shootouts — is the story of a 13-year-old boy who is sentenced to be hanged after he fatally shoots a rancher by accident. He goes on the run with his estranged grandfather, played by Baldwin.
Bianca Cline, the cinematographer who finished the project, said Hutchins established the look and feel of the film, and filmed more than half of it. She studied Hutchins' notes to honor her vision.
Hutchins, 42, was a Ukrainian cinematographer on the rise and a mother of a young son. She grew up on a remote Soviet military base and worked on documentary films in Eastern Europe before studying film in Los Angeles and embarking on a promising movie-making career.
Ahead of the premiere, Hutchins' mother, who is suing Baldwin and the production, said she was refusing to attend and that she viewed the film as an attempt by Baldwin to "unjustly profit" from her daughter's death. Baldwin was also not present.
"It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen," said Hutchins' mother, Olga Solovey, in a statement issued by her lawyer, Gloria Allred. "Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death."
Melina Spadone, a representative for Rust Movie Productions, issued a statement saying: "Gloria Allred's misrepresentation of both the Camerimage festival and any profit motivation is disappointing. The decision to complete 'Rust' was made with the full support of Halyna's family."
"The Camerimage festival celebrates the artistry of cinematographers; it is not a festival for buyers. None of the producers of Rust stand to benefit financially from the film. The suggestion that those involved in completing Halyna Hutchins' film were motivated by profit is disrespectful to those who worked tirelessly to honor her legacy."
Filmmaker Rachel Mason, a friend of Hutchins who was tapped by Matthew Hutchins to make a documentary about his late wife, told the audience that Solovey told her that she wanted the film to be completed because of how important the project was to her daughter.
Mason also described all those who continued to work on the film after the tragedy on set as "heroic."
"You could just feel and see the trauma that they had gone through," she said.
"Halyna didn't get the chance to do the biggest films that she was expected to do, that we all knew she would. 'Rust' was that film. 'Rust' was going to change her life but instead it took her life. And the people that feel the pain of that most are the people that made the film," Mason said. "I really hope the world can understand that it was a courageous act to complete this film."
A New Mexico judge dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in the fatal shooting. The case was thrown out halfway through trial on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
The film armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, received the maximum sentence of 18 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter. A judge found that her recklessness amounted to a serious violent offense. Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of "Rust," where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun-safety protocols.
This year's Camerimage festival, where Cate Blanchett is serving as jury president, has already been beset by controversy.
"Blitz" director Steve McQueen dropped out of the festival to protest an editorial about female cinematographers written by festival founder Marek Żydowicz in which he argued that greater representation of female cinematographers could lead to mediocrity.
Director Coralie Fargeat pulled her film "The Substance" due to the comments, which led to protests by several cinematography groups. Żydowicz has since apologized.
City Council approves new social media policy in response to posts from APD spokesperson - By Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
Albuquerque city councilors approved a new social media policy for city employees Monday night after they called out the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) multiple times for controversial social media posts.
The proposal for the new policy, sponsored by Councilor Renée Grout, passed on an 8-1 vote.
Councilor Louie Sanchez, a frequent critic of APD and Police Chief Harold Medina, offered his support for the bill while taking a jab at APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos, who the city told other news outlets made the posts in question.
“I’m going to support it, but we already know this is the Gilbert Gallegos bill,” Sanchez said. “He’s attacked the victims of family members on X, attorneys, citizens and business owners…there should have been progressive discipline, and we shouldn’t even be dealing with this right now.”
Sanchez argued the bill shows how the administration has failed to address Gallegos’ behavior and that Medina and Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel allowed it to “go on and on.”
“I think we need to be a little stronger and do what’s right for the citizens of Albuquerque, and if that means getting together and getting rid of the police chief, then we need to do that,” Sanchez said.
Sengel countered saying the city’s existing social media policy already addresses professionalism, but that she could not discuss publicly any personnel disciplinary actions or conversations.
“The assumption by this council that there has been nothing done related to the matters that have been discussed is presumptuous, based upon the fact that it would not be discussed with City Council, based upon an employee’s rights to that process being appropriate,” Sengel said.
Sanchez brought up the last time Gallegos’ social media posts caught the council’s attention: when former Council President Pat Davis* threatened to defund the director of communications position as a way to curb inappropriate posts.
Councilor Nichole Rogers asked the council staff if councilors had the authority to defund the position. An attorney for the council said councilors could propose a bill to defund the position, but it would not remove the position because it “is an executive function.” Rogers said she would “love to work with our staff to do that.”
After the City Council blasted APD several weeks ago, for the second time in as many years, over the posts — which were responses made to private citizens — Grout introduced the proposal for the new policy.
Keller could veto Grout’s proposal but the council can override the veto with six votes.
The policy outlines guidelines for defining what posts are appropriate and inappropriate for city social media accounts, potential consequences for misusing accounts and a plan to regularly monitor accounts to ensure they follow the policies.
“Whether or not we think that snapping back at a constituent, a tax-paying citizen, is okay — it’s not,” Grout said. “There’s always a way you can respond and it does not need to be ugly.”
City Council asks administration to stop sidestepping questions - By Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
An Albuquerque city councilor’s proposal to require more accountability from Mayor Tim Keller’s administration passed nearly unanimously, but with changes that significantly lessened its impact.
During Monday’s City Council meeting, councilors passed a proposal 7-2 requiring Keller’s administration to answer councilors’ questions in writing as part of the administration question-and-answer period at council meetings.
Keller could veto the bill, sponsored by Councilor Louie Sanchez, but the council can override the veto with six votes.
“This is something that needs to go through and something that needs to start holding the administration accountable to getting us — as councilors and the public — the answers to questions that we have,” Sanchez said. “It’s about making sure that we do the right thing for the public, for people that actually pay our bills and pay for our services.”
The proposal initially aimed to require every question to be answered with a written response and sent to the council within 10 business days of the meeting. The questions and answers would then be shared on the council’s website.
During Monday’s meeting, Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn proposed multiple changes to the bill.
Fiebelkorn suggested the administration be required to submit written responses within seven business days of the meeting and respond in writing only when they can’t answer the question in person.
“I feel like we have a situation where we ask questions, and if they answer them, it is on the record…having the administrative staff spend time rewriting answers that they’ve already provided us does not seem like a good use of administration time,” Fiebelkorn said. “I am saying that they should provide in writing any questions that they were not able to answer on the dais.”
Fiebelkorn also proposed that written responses only be required when a councilor asks a question expecting a factual or informational answer, not when a councilor asks a question “that has only a subjective, philosophical or given basic answer.”
Council President Dan Lewis said he understood the bill but found it a “little embarrassing” because discussions between the council and administration are part of a public discussion.
“I think there needs to be an immediate response to it,” Lewis said. “Then, if the administration needs a little bit longer, I think there’s some trust here that that will take a little bit longer to do that. And a non-answer is an answer in my opinion. I don’t think it’s necessary to put all this in writing or to do this bill.”
Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel told the council her goal is to ensure councilors get thorough, factual responses in a timely manner and when councilors submit questions before the meeting, the administration is “typically always prepared to answer those questions.”
“I think this is an unfortunate move…I think the working relationship that we have had recently, in terms of assuring we’re finding responses, is a better way for us to work together,” Sengel said.
Councilors approved Fiebelkorn’s proposed changes before passing the bill.
Multiple election offices report receiving mailed ballots misdirected from other states - By Christina A. Cassidy, John Hanna and Amy Beth Hanson, Associated Press
Terry Thompson had an election to run for voters in Cascade County, Montana. Why then, she thought, was her office in Great Falls being sent mailed ballots completed by voters in places such as Wasilla, Alaska; Vancouver, Washington; and Tampa, Florida?
It was only about a dozen ballots total from voters in other states. But she said it still raised concerns about the ability of the U.S. Postal Service to deliver election mail and whether the errant ballots would ever be counted.
"I mean, I would have had to been doing FedEx overnight envelopes to all these states to try to get them where they needed to go," said Thompson, the county's election administrator.
She received about a half dozen others that should have gone to county election offices in other parts of Montana. For those, she said she "just had to hope and pray" they made it back on time.
While a stray ballot ending up in the wrong place can happen during election season, the number of ballots destined for other states and counties that ended up at Thompson's office is unusual. The Associated Press found it wasn't an anomaly. Election offices in California, Louisiana, New Mexico and elsewhere also reported receiving completed ballots in the mail that should have gone to other states.
The Postal Service said Tuesday that without additional information or tracking data from bar codes on ballot envelopes, it cannot comment further on those cases. It said earlier this month that it had been working closely with local election officials to resolve concerns.
But to some election officials, the misdirected ballots confirm concerns they raised before the Nov. 5 presidential election about the U.S. Postal Service's performance and ability to handle a crush of mail ballots, as early voting has become increasingly popular with voters.
State election officials warned in September that problems with the nation's mail delivery system threatened to disenfranchise voters in the upcoming presidential election. In a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the election officials noted problems during the primaries that included mailed ballots postmarked on time but received too late be counted and instances of properly addressed election mail returned as undeliverable.
In Louisiana, state election officials said some 40 to 50 ballots destined for 10 other states ended up being delivered to local election offices, mostly in Orleans Parish. Deputy Secretary of State Joel Watson Jr. said the Secretary of State's Office had "extraordinary frustration" for the Postal Service's continued "inconsistencies" and "lack of accountability."
Dozens of mail ballots from inside the state also were delivered to the wrong local election office, Watson said.
"There were many instances where our staff had to physically take these ballots and drive them to another parish to get them there on time to make sure those votes count," Watson said. "We had to use time and resources in the hours and days immediately preceding the biggest election we hold to make sure these ballots were delivered to the right places."
Louisiana law does not permit ballot drop boxes, and Watson indicated his office does not support moving in that direction and would continue to encourage voters to cast their ballots in person. He cited security concerns such as the arson attacks on drop boxes in Washington and Oregon ahead of the Nov. 5 election in which ballots were damaged.
The U.S. Postal Service said it puts election mail ahead of other mail for processing and accounts for it with daily checks, known as "all clears." Also, the USPS recommends that election offices use individual bar codes on ballot envelopes.
"The United States Postal Service is fully committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process when policy makers choose to utilize us as a part of their election system, and to delivering election mail in a timely manner," Rod Spurgeon, a USPS spokesman, said in an email.
Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said ballot monitors identified some problems inside facilities during the election season but said they were resolved.
"While we are waiting on the final statistics from the Postal Service, all indications show that vote-by-mail was a success in the 2024 general election," he said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
Still, state and local election officials reported numerous cases of ballots ending up in the wrong place.
In New Mexico's Santa Fe County, County Clerk Katharine Clark said seven ballots bound for her office were instead delivered to Los Angeles County in Southern California. Those ballots were redirected, Clark said, but did not arrive at her office before the state's deadline to be counted, which is 7 p.m. on Election Day.
"It does mean that person got denied the right to vote, because the ballots from Los Angeles County -- even though they were sent (to Santa Fe) with a four- or five-day lead time -- they didn't get to us in time to count," she said.
In addition, Clark said her office received two ballots destined for Los Angeles County and one for Maricopa County in Arizona that she sent back to the U.S. Postal Service. Nine ballots should have been delivered to other counties within New Mexico.
In addition to the Santa Fe County ballots, Los Angeles County election officials said they also received two ballots that should have been mailed to Torrance County, New Mexico. That county's clerk, Linda Jaramillo, said she did not recall receiving the ballots from Los Angeles County but expressed faith in the nation's mail service.
"There's going to be a few," Jaramillo said. "You can't have perfection."
The California Secretary of State's office said about 150 mail ballots from Oregon voters were misdirected to California before being sent back. Officials at the state election office in Springfield, Illinois, somehow ended up with a ballot intended for Massachusetts.
"Yeah, I have no idea how that happens," said Matt Dietrich, spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Amy Cohen, executive director of the National Association of State Election Directors, called the incidents "disappointing and heartbreaking."
"Election officials don't ever want to see misdelivered ballots, but it does happen for variety of reasons, not all of which are USPS's fault," Cohen said, noting that voters can sometimes forget to use the outer envelope that contains important address information.
But Cohen said the examples from this past presidential election seem to reflect the issues that election officials had been worried about since 2023 and were highlighted in their September letter to U.S. Postal Service leadership.
"We hope they will get to the bottom of what went wrong to prevent it from happening again in the future and that they will be responsive to the issues escalated by the election community," Cohen said.
In Kansas, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, was so frustrated after the August primary with hundreds of mail ballots arriving after the deadline for counting them that he posted on social media, "The Pony Express is more efficient at this point." Schwab, unlike other Republicans, has touted the use of drop boxes.
There were no reports of ballots misdirected from or to other states, but Schwab said in a statement this week: "I still encourage voters to not use the USPS to mail their ballot unless there is no other option."
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Cassidy reported from Atlanta and Hanna from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California; Jack Brook in New Orleans; Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and others contributed to this report.
New Mexico’s behavioral health system still lacking despite more providers and money — Santa Fe New Mexican, KUNM News
New Mexico has seen worsening outcomes in behavioral health despite more funding and providers making their way into the system.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the state has fallen in rankings in a few essential areas, including dropping from 36th in the country in 2023 to 44th this year in overall mental illness prevalence in both adults and children.
In that same time period the Land of Enchantment dropped from 32nd to 49th for adults with substance use disorder, and from 47th to 51st, including Washington D.C., in youth substance use disorders.
That’s despite the fact that the state has invested heavily in behavioral health programs in an attempt to reduce wait times and fill gaps, and reports from managed care organizations, like Presbyterian, that they have increased key staff positions like nurse practitioners and social workers.
Moreover, the federal government has been funneling money directly to local providers, nonprofits, universities, and tribal entities.
A state analyst told lawmakers on Monday part of the problem is that agencies aren’t coordinating well and that, “There is little planning to strategically use the resources that we have more effectively.”
Lawmakers say the state’s Behavioral Health Collaborative could possibly provide that overarching guidance, but it has not met at the state level in over a year because it currently does not have a director.