Let's Talk New Mexico 7/21 8a: As the January 6th hearings come to a close, the fallout from the Capitol riot and lies about the 2020 presidential election are continuing to influence New Mexico politics. From the actions of state politicians who joined in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, to calls for greater voter restrictions, to the Otero County Commission’s refusal to certify the results of June’s primary elections, it’s clear that our state’s political landscape has changed.
On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll look at how some state politicians have been influenced by rhetoric about election fraud and misinformation, and how voters’ rights may be in jeopardy. We’ll lay out the timeline of New Mexican involvement in the attempt to overturn the results of the last Presidential election, evaluate how much of a threat to our democracy these conspiracy theories present, and find out what state leaders intend to do about it.
And we want to hear from you! What should the state government do to protect voting rights for New Mexicans? What are your concerns about the future of New Mexico’s political landscape? And what questions do you have about conspiracy theories you’ve read or heard about? Email us at letstalk@KUNM.org, or call in live this Thursday morning at 8.
Guests
- Andrew Beale- Freelance Reporter, Source New Mexico
- Alex Curtas- Director of Communications, New Mexico Secretary of State's Office
- Mason Graham- New Mexico Black Voters' Collaborative
- Dr. Lonna Atkeson- Professor of Political Science, Florida State University; former Director for the Center for the Study of Voting, Elections, and Democracy at UNM
Readings and Resources
- The two people behind the election denial movement in New Mexico- Source New Mexico
- 2020 New Mexico election administration, voter security, and election reform report - University of New Mexico Department of Political Sciences, Principal Author Lonna Atkeson
- Fact-checking the Clements' stole election claims- Source New Mexico
- Breaching the mainstream: A national survey of far-right membership in state legislatures - Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights
- New Mexico voter information portal - Secretary of State
- Rumor vs. Reality Website Fact Checks Misinformation About New Mexico’s Voting and Elections - Secretary of State
- Evidence Gaps in '2000 Mules' - Factcheck.org
