If, in an area that includes Indian nation, tribal or pueblo lands, the president, governor or governing body of the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo has declared an emergency or has invoked emergency powers pursuant to other laws:
A. a polling place located on Indian nation, tribal or pueblo land shall not be eliminated or consolidated with other polling places, nor shall the days and times of voting be modified, without the written agreement of the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo where the polling place is located;
B. no later than ninety-eight days before a statewide election without a court order and by means of a written request or no later than forty-nine days before a statewide election with a court order, the county clerk shall provide to an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo that has not previously requested for that election cycle at least one alternate voting or mobile alternate voting location for that election; provided the alternate voting or mobile alternate voting location otherwise complies with the requirements of Section 1-6-5.8 NMSA 1978;
C. no later than eighty-four days before a statewide election without a court order and by means of a written request or no later than thirty-five days before a statewide election with a court order, the county clerk shall provide an election day polling place to an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo that does not already have an election day polling place within its boundaries if voters registered within the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo are unable to leave the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo during the time when voting occurs for a statewide election;
D. the requirement that a polling place be available to all voters in the county is waived if an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo is inaccessible or the borders are closed; and
E. all necessary and reasonable expenses by the county clerk for compliance with this section shall be reimbursed by the secretary of state.
History: 1978 Comp., § 1-3-7.2, enacted by Laws 2021, ch. 107, § 1.
Emergency clauses. — Laws 2021, ch. 107, § 3 contained an emergency clause and was approved April 6, 2021.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Article 3 - Precincts and Polling Places
Section 1-3-1 - Nature of a precinct; maps.
Section 1-3-2 - Precincts; duties of county commissioners.
Section 1-3-4 - Consolidation of precincts; voter convenience centers.
Section 1-3-5 - Precincts; powers of county commissioners.
Section 1-3-6 - Precincts; boundaries; protest.
Section 1-3-7 - Polling places.
Section 1-3-7.1 - Additional polling places.
Section 1-3-7.2 - Polling places on Native American lands.
Section 1-3-8 - Precinct changes; notice and publication.
Section 1-3-9 - Precincts; exclusions.
Section 1-3-12 - Adjusting precinct boundaries.
Section 1-3-12 - Adjusting precinct boundaries. (Effective January 1, 2023.)
Section 1-3-14 - Standard base map required.
Section 1-3-15 to 1-3-17 - Repealed.
Section 1-3-18 - Polling places; building requirements; inspection.
Section 1-3-19 - Election-day polling places; adequate resources.
Section 1-3-20 - Secretary of state; geographic information system data.