County Canvass
What Is It?
The county canvass is the public meeting where the Board of County Canvassers, usually the county commissioners, reviews and certifies the official election results for the county. Through certification, the boards attest that these results constitute a complete and accurate accounting of votes canvassed in the county and then can be transmitted to the Secretary of State’s office.
What Are we Observing/Looking For?
We ask our ONME watchers to observe the following:
- The number of county canvassing board members present
- If any board members raised any of the following concerns:
- Missing election returns from precincts
- Election returns that were not accompanied by properly executed certificate of results in precincts
- Potential discrepancies with election results
- Errors, omissions, or ambiguities with the election returns
- Request a recheck of the voting machines and a comparison with the returns
- Any public or candidate requests for rechecks on voting machines
- Whether the certified results were made available to the public
- The presence and conduct of other watchers/observers
Why Is It Important?
The canvass is an important safeguard for fair elections. It ensures that every ballot has been properly counted, that discrepancies are resolved, and that the certified results reflect the will of the voters. By observing this process, you help build public confidence in the outcome.
What we found in 2024
What Went Well
- All counties certified their results. In every meeting observed, results were finalized and sent to the Secretary of State.
- Calm and professional environment. Meetings were orderly, with no reports of harassment, disruption, or attempts to influence board members.
- Broad transparency. In most counties, copies of the results were available to members of the public.
- Unanimous votes. In all but one meeting, canvassing boards certified results without dissent
Challenges
- Results not always shared. In four counties (Bernalillo, Catron, Grant, and San Juan), members of the public—including observers—were not given copies of the election returns being certified
Contact Us
The mission of Observe New Mexico Elections is to increase transparency and trust in New Mexico’s elections by training and deploying nonpartisan election observers throughout the state. Observers will report on how election laws and procedures are followed, representing all voters without interfering in the electoral process. Findings from their observations will be compiled to assess the overall quality of elections in New Mexico.