Earlier in Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s career, election administration was a quiet affair.
“We used to say, ‘If we’re in the news, we’re not doing a good job,’” she said Wednesday at a House Administration Committee hearing.
But that’s changed drastically of late. “More people are now aware of elections, and more awareness can bring more participation, understanding and innovation,” said Toulouse Oliver, who is now New Mexico’s secretary of state. “However, because of what has now been years of false election claims and ideological attempts to discredit our voting systems and processes, much of the heightened awareness of elections is now colored by conspiracies, misinformation and, frankly, outright lies.”
