Heinrich, Toulouse Oliver, Local Elections Officials Host Roundtable on Safeguarding Voting Access for New Mexicans

PHOTOS

SANTA FE, N.M. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, hosted a roundtable with New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and local election officials to discuss the unprecedented threats to Americans' right to vote and New Mexico's elections posed by President Trump's administration.

Trump's U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently suing New Mexico for unfettered access to the state's voter rolls. This comes on the heels of Trump's DOJ seizing voter rolls in Georgia and demanding access to voting rolls in Minneapolis. Trump has also proposed gutting key election infrastructure funding and pushed for passage of legislation that would disenfranchise millions of Americans.

Heinrich, Toulouse Oliver, and local election officials addressed these and other domestic election security threats heading into the 2026 midterms, including fears that the administration could use U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deter American citizens from voting.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and N.M. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver host local New Mexico officials to discuss how Trump's Department of Justice is threatening voting access in New Mexico, February 27^th, 2026.

"We are seeing new threats that are unlike anything that I've ever seen before, and that's because these threats are coming from within our own federal government -from our Commander in Chief and from inside the White House. President Trump has already called for nationalizing our elections and abolishing mail-in and absentee voting. Let me be clear: We're not doing any of that. And when he isn't trying to dismantle our local elections, he is trying to get his hands on our unredacted voter rolls. Your personal information...Your records, your Social Security number, your driver's license information," said Heinrich.

Heinrich continued, "And as if this wasn't enough, there are also very real fears about President Trump using the Department of Justice to confiscate ballots and voting machines, disrupting postal delivery of mail-in ballots, attempting to invalidate certain kinds of ballots and votes, and using the Department of Homeland Security or ICE at, or around, election sites. His own Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has even said that they will absolutely deploy ICE to ensure that they have 'the right people voting electing the right leaders.' A blatant effort to scare American citizens away from making their voices heard. I think it will be deeply unsuccessful."

"Our message today is simple: Not on our watch. We're not having any of it, and I will do everything in my power to protect every American citizen's right to vote and access to their election," Heinrich concluded.

"Events like these are so important for the public to really understand the careful work that goes into election administration in New Mexico," said New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. "As we look forward to the primary and general elections this year, New Mexico's election administrators stand ready to continue to do what we do best - run a secure and accessible process for voters across the state - despite some very concerning changes being debated at the federal level and despite alarming rhetoric from the President."

"I'm grateful to Senator Heinrich for convening this important conversation on election security. In Doña Ana County, as a border community, we understand that protecting our elections and our data, means being hyper-vigilant - securing our systems, safeguarding our voters, and ensuring that local officials remain in charge of administering free and fair elections. Election security is not a talking point for us - it's our daily responsibility." said Amanda López Askin, Doña Ana County Clerk.

"Whether urban or rural, election security matters - our county clerk's offices work every day to keep the process secure and accessible. As we head into the midterms, New Mexicans can trust those systems. Partisan division must never undermine our democracy," said Robert "Bubba" Serrano III, Guadalupe County Clerk.

"New Mexico ranks first in the nation on election administration - thanks to many years of tireless work with public servants, elected officials, and community members who are committed to making sure that every voice is heard here in the state. So, even when our county clerks and our Secretary of State's office are facing funding challenges and threats from the federal administration, New Mexico continues to lead the country in election security and administration. And New Mexico voters should feel confident that we will have free and fair elections this year and in years to come. And we should continue to prioritize election security and administration funding at the federal and state levels to ensure that there's always proper resources so that our incredible clerks and Secretary of State can continue to keep us number one in the country," said Oriana Sandoval, CEO of Center for Civic Policy.

For more information on Heinrich's actions to protect New Mexicans' right to vote and bolster election security, click here.

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