The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By ROBERT NOTT
The Santa Fe New Mexican

New Mexico Senate Republicans, outnumbered in their chamber nearly 2-to-1, have vowed this legislative session to use every play in the book to amplify their voices and, if necessary, slow Democratic efforts they don’t like.

They pulled a play Tuesday during a floor debate on a contentious bill that would prohibit New Mexicans from carrying firearms near polling places on Election Day.

About 35 minutes into the debate, Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, requested a “call of the Senate”, a procedural move that requires every member of the chamber to be present for a vote. There was a flurry of excitement as sergeants-at-arms rounded up missing lawmakers and locked the chamber doors. The move stalled talks on the bill for about 45 minutes until three missing Democrats returned.

One of them — Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill, D-Silver City — joined Republicans in opposing Senate Bill 5, co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, a Santa Fe Democrat.

The Democrats still had enough votes — the count was 26-16 — to move the measure to the House of Representatives.

Wirth said the bill is designed to “ensure the safety of elections for New Mexico citizens exercising their right to vote.”

It would prohibit carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling site, a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine. Some exceptions are carved out, including for law enforcement officers.

Wirth said a constituent who serves as a poll worker spoke to him about feeling intimidated by people bearing arms during a recent election.

“Given where we are as a country with elections, having guns out of polling places in my opinion … makes a lot of sense,” Wirth said.

As the bill was considered in Senate committee hearings, Wirth added amendments he said would make it more palatable to some opponents, including a provision that would allow gun-bearing voters to leave firearms in their vehicles while they go into polling sites to cast ballots.

That didn’t persuade Republicans, who made some unsuccessful attempts of their own to amend it.

Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, pitched a change allowing New Mexicans who have concealed carry permits to take guns into polls, but most Democrats opposed it and the proposal died.

Moores and other Republicans said that was unfortunate because they would have supported the bill with the amendment, demonstrating the two parties can come together on public safety issues.

Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, made another case for the concealed carry amendment: “Good guys with guns are good to have around when you need them.”

SB 5 is one of several public safety bills Democrats are pushing for this year.

While it still has to make its way through House committee hearings and a final vote on the House floor, it has a good chance for success: Democrats have a heavy majority in that chamber, as well.

A dozen states including Florida, Georgia and Arizona prohibit guns at voting sites.

Meanwhile, legislators in several other states continue to grapple with concerns about the intersection of voting and guns in a polarized political climate.

As votes were tallied in the 2020 presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, armed protesters carrying guns gathering nightly outside offices where workers were counting the votes to decide who had won the White House.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.