The nonpartisan government watchdog group Common Cause New Mexico says it will help deploy 140 volunteer observers to polls across the state on election day as a precaution against voter intimidation and other difficulties.
Common Cause Executive Director Viki Harrison said Thursday that concerns about possible interference with voting are heightened this year because of calls by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his supporters to watch for fraud at the polls. Trump has made repeated and unsubstantiated warnings about "rigged" elections.
Harrison said the program for volunteer poll watchers dates back to 2008 in New Mexico and has not encountered any instances of intimidation.
The volunteers typically stand outside voting locations and offer to answer questions about voting procedures. They are instructed to report serious problems to government authorities.
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