(Santa Fe, NM) – Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) and plaintiff Larry King announce that the New Mexico Supreme Court has granted oral arguments in the court case challenging State Representative Sandra Jeff’s nominating petitions.
The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on April 16 at the New Mexico Supreme Court, 237 Don Gaspar Avenue in Santa Fe.
The plaintiff filed an appeal with the New Mexico Supreme Court of the dismissal by New Mexico Eleventh Judicial District Court Judge Louis DePauli. The judge dismissed the case after allowing a voter to intervene on Rep. Jeff’s behalf. Rep. Jeff was not present at the District Court hearing. The District Court found that Rep. Jeff was not sufficiently served in the case.
“I’m very happy that the state’s Supreme Court is going to hear our case,” says King. “We’re asking for a fair election for the people of New Mexico.”
CVNM is supporting the effort to protect the voting process. King is represented by attorneys Sara Berger and Karen Mendenhall of Albuquerque.
“Our concerns for the civic process have a right to be heard,” says Demis Foster, CVNM Executive Director. “We hope we can get to the heart of the issue of a fair voting process with the Supreme Court.”
CVNM and Larry King, a resident of House District 5, embarked on the lawsuit to ensure that prospective candidates for the state legislature play by the rules. Rep. Jeff, who represents House District 5, was required to submit 78 valid signatures of Democratic voters in McKinley or San Juan counties to qualify for the primary ballot. The suit challenges 52 of the 91 signatures Rep. Jeff submitted as invalid.
CVNM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization connecting the people of New Mexico to their political power to protect our air, land, and water for a healthy Land of Enchantment. CVNM does this by mobilizing voters, winning elections, holding elected officials accountable, and advancing responsible public policies.
Contact: Liliana Castillo, 505-992-8683 or Liliana@CVNM.org
###
