Published Oct 16, 2008
Rio Arriba County plans to operate an additional early voting site in Dulce in accordance with a state law enacted in 2007 to provide better access to early voting sites to Indians. However, the Jicarilla Apache Nation is wondering why that site will only be open for a day.
The early voting site will be set up Oct. 22 at the old Jicarilla Apache Election Board office, at 8 Commerce St. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any registered voter in the County can vote there that day.
State law requires county clerks to provide separate early voting locations for tribal entities that are located farther than 15 miles from a clerk’s office if a site is requested. State Rep. W. Ken Martinez (D-Grants) sponsored the bill during the state legislative session in 2007.
However, there is ambiguity in the law. It does not specify the period of time the alternate sites must be open, and County Clerk Fred Vigil chose to only keep the location open for a day. Vigil would not elaborate on his decision before hanging up on a SUN reporter.
“The Nation would like one week at least,” Nation spokesman Merlin Cassador said.
Cassador also said President Levi Pesata requested the early voting site with an eye on high gas prices and the 40-mile drive to the County Clerk’s office in Tierra Amarilla. He said the Nation would be able to supply enough poll workers if the site were kept open.
Assistant County Manager Tomas Campos said he is working with Vigil to see if it will be possible to keep the site open longer than a day.
Cassador said members of the Nation are excited about a chance to vote for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) for president.
“Our Nation endorsed him formally through a Tribal Council resolution,” he said. “We did have some requests from tribal members to vote early.”