46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR OPTIONAL SECRETARY OF STATE SUPERVISION OF ELECTION SCHOOLS IN COUNTIES WITH A POPULATION OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND OR MORE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 1-2-17 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1969, Chapter 240, Section 37, as amended) is amended to read:

"1-2-17. PRECINCT BOARD--SCHOOLS OF INSTRUCTION.--

A. The secretary of state [shall] may supervise and the county clerk shall cause to be held a public school of instruction for all presiding judges, precinct boards and others who will be officially concerned with the conduct of elections in any county with a population of one hundred thousand or more according to the most recent federal decennial census.

B. The county clerk shall cause to be held a public school of instruction for all presiding judges, precinct boards and others who will be officially concerned with the conduct of the elections in any county having a population of less than one hundred thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census.

C. The schools for instruction provided for in this section shall be as follows:

(1) one school not less than three days before the primary election;

(2) one school not less than three days before the general election; and

(3) one school not less than three days before any other statewide election.

D. All major details of the conduct of elections shall be covered by the county clerk or his authorized representative at such school, with special emphasis being given to recent changes in the Election Code.

E. The school of instruction shall be open to any interested person, and notice of the school shall be given to the public press at least four days before the school is to be held. Each member of the precinct board shall be notified by mail at least seven days prior to commencement of the school.

F. [No] A person shall not serve as a judge or member of a precinct board in [any] an election who has not attended at least one such school of instruction in the calendar year of the election at which he is appointed to serve or has been certified by the county clerk with respect to the person's completion of the school of instruction. This subsection shall not apply to filling of vacancies on election day as provided in Subsection B of Section 1-2-15 NMSA 1978."