3-06-2024 6:44pm

Strengthening Election Integrity: New Mexico Enacts Gun at Polling Places, AI Ad, and Funding Laws

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a handful of important election bills that passed out of the 2024 Legislative Session – SB 108, HB 182, and SB 5. Together, these pieces of legislation strengthen the transparency, integrity and security of New Mexico’s elections.

“Each one of these laws helps build essential confidence in our democratic process,” said Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. “As a state, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to secure and accessible elections through new restrictions on the carrying of firearms where voters cast ballots, new disclosure requirements for political ads created with AI and the stabilization of critical administrative funding. I am grateful to Governor Lujan Grisham for signing these significant bills into law.”

Details of the bills are below:

Senate Bill 108 – Distribution to Election Fund

This bill was the Secretary of State’s top priority for the 2024 legislative session, and it creates a transfer of up to $15 million dollars based on certified election costs to the Election Fund after each statewide election. This money will help stabilize the Office’s yearly budget requests and will allow the Office to continue to fund secure and accessible elections while meeting inflationary demands. The Election Fund is used to pay the costs of conducting and administering statewide elections; for reimbursing counties for their costs of conducting and administering statewide elections; and for paying the administrative election costs of the Secretary of State’s Office.

House Bill 182 – Election Changes (Artificial Intelligence Disclosures)

This bill requires that, under the state’s Campaign Reporting Act, political campaigns must include a disclaimer on any ads that used artificial intelligence in their creation to misrepresent an individual without consent, and it establishes legal penalties for non-disclosure. This bill will create needed transparency to help build trust among New Mexico’s voters in the electoral process.

Senate Bill 5 – Firearms Near Polling Places

This bill restricts the carrying of firearms near polling places and ballot drop boxes in New Mexico, with exceptions for concealed-carry permit holders and certified law enforcement officers.