(New Mexico) Supreme Court strikes down straight-party voting

[Free Vulcan]

The New Mexico Supreme Court unanimously struck down a controversial proposal to add a straight-party option to November’s ballot.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced last month that she would reinstate an option on November’s ballot to allow people to vote for all candidates of a given party with one mark on the ballot. That decision was challenged by the Libertarian and Republican parties of New Mexico, along with a Utah-based political action committee, a non-profit advocate group for independent candidates and one Democratic write-in candidate.

On Wednesday, Chief Justice Judith Nakamura called it a tough decision, but said only state lawmakers can add add straight-party voting to the ballot.

http://nmpoliticalreport.com/877522/supreme-court-strikes-down-straight-party-voting/

[jmyrlefuller]

Straight-ticket voting is an easy way for the political parties already in power to stay there. They do it by 1) ensuring that only the party in power qualifies, 2) secretly timing how long it takes voters to cast their votes, and 3) using the patronage system to reward those who vote quickly (and thus presumably straight ticket) and punish those who do not.

[thackney]

2018 is the last election Texas will have the straight ticket option for voting.

Gov. Abbott signs bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting beginning in 2020
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/01/texas-gov-greg-abbott-signs-bill-eliminate-straight-ticket-voting/