By PENNY HOLLAND
Albuquerque

As a northern New Mexico resident and strong believer in the integrity of our democracy, I believe now is the perfect time to elevate the voices of all eligible voters in our state.

I vote in every local, state and federal election and have for the past 44 years. I am also a Voter Registration Agent (VRA) and have typically focused my efforts in our local high schools, hoping to register more Black, Indigenous and Latinx 17 and 18 year olds and their families.

When registering voters, I frequently encounter people who feel disenfranchised by our elections and are cynical about the value of their participation. In 2016, when registering voters for the primary elections at the growers market in Albuquerque, I spoke with a group of Indigenous women selling at their vending table. When I asked if they were registered to vote, each woman was, but none were planning to vote in the primary or general elections. When I asked if they would be willing to tell me why, they responded almost in unison, “Standing Rock”. Then one of the women told me that the amount of suffering in their communities didn’t seem to change regardless of who was President. They no longer believed either party’s promises of help for their people.

For far too long, many individuals and groups have felt underrepresented and ostracized by a binary party system. We want more transparency, accountability, and options on the ballot. Fusion voting provides all three. Senator Ortiz y Pino is sponsoring Senate Bill SB-100, which would implement fusion voting in New Mexico.

Fusion voting is a system where multiple political parties can endorse the same candidate on the general election ballot. SB100 allows candidates to be cross-endorsed by both a major and minor party. For example, a candidate can run on the Democratic party line and also be nominated by the Working Families Party. This voting method creates a more informative ballot, gives minor parties presence on the ballot, and solves the “spoiler” voting issue as total votes for the candidate under each party line are added together. The people need inclusion, not exclusion.

When voters feel their votes matter and their voices will be heard, they turn out. Fusion voting in New Mexico will encourage more young voters, voters of color, new voters, and independents to take part in our elections. Our diverse communities will feel more included in the voting process.

We are ready for progress in New Mexico. We have spent years struggling with poverty, child hunger, poor education, inadequate healthcare, and other issues that stifle our communities. We know policies change when politics and politicians change. We want political candidates who represent the interests of their constituents and not powerful interests. Fusion voting will provide us the opportunity to expand our democracy and get the change we seek.

The time for our voices to be heard is now. Fusion voting bill SB-100 will be heard first in the Senate Rules Committee and then the Senate Judiciary Committee. Our state legislators need to know we support expanding our democracy in New Mexico. Please join me in contacting our legislators today and request they vote “yes” in support of SB-100.