N.M. Stat. Ann. § 1-1-12
History: 1953 Comp., § 3-1-11, enacted by Laws 1969, ch. 240, § 11; 1975, ch. 255, § 4; 2011, ch. 131, § 1; 2011, ch. 137, § 7; 2019, ch. 212, § 6.
Cross references. — For consolidation of precincts, see 1-3-4 and 1-3-5 NMSA 1978.
Temporary provisions. — Laws 2023, ch. 39, § 97 provided that each election day polling place established in the 2021 polling place resolution for each county or any election day polling place established by any subsequent amendment to such a resolution shall operate as a voter convenience center for all statewide elections in calendar year 2023.
The 2019 amendment, effective April 3, 2019, revised the definition of "consolidated precinct" as used in the Election Code; in Subsection A, after "means", added "a single precinct or", and after "polling place", added "for the purpose of establishing a voter convenience center"; and in Subsection B, after "are used", added "to establish a voter convenience center", and after the next occurrence of "in", deleted "an" and added "a statewide".
The 2011 amendment, effective July 1, 2011, corrected the statutory reference to the method of consolidating precincts and clarifies the meaning of "precincts".
Laws 2011, ch. 131, § 1 and Laws 2011, ch. 137, § 7 enacted identical amendments to this section. The section was set out as amended by Laws 2011, ch. 137, § 7. See 12-1-8 NMSA 1978.
Constitutional requisite for consolidation. — Any statute providing for consolidation of precincts in any given election is void and unconstitutional unless the old precincts are abolished and a new precinct, including the area desired to be consolidated, is legally created. 1954 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 54-6067 (opinion rendered under former law).