In Dec. 2021, New Mexico was added to the VoteRef database, an online voter registration database run by the Voter Reference Foundation (VRF), which aims to increase transparency by maintaining an updated file of registered voters and their most accurate information.
This comes as a bill addressing election transparency in the state has gained traction, after moving forward in the legislature earlier this month.
In a release from Dec. 16, 2021, VRF Executive Director Gina Swoboda said this provides a golden opportunity moving forward to make sure voter rolls are accurate and up to date.
“We are well on our way to accomplishing something that has never been done before in the United States – give the public easy access to lawful public voter records,” Swoboda said.
According to U.S. News, the new election bill in the state "addresses election integrity and transparency," said state Sen. Crystal Diamond (R-Dona Ana). The bill calls on New Mexico's secretary of state to develop a new, comprehensive program that will reconcile voter registration rolls with discrepancies such as records of deaths and individuals who leave the state.
VoteRef.com reportedly contains more than 27% of the nation's voters, after the addition of New Mexico, according to the Dec. release.
New Mexico was the 11th state to be added to the database, behind Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Through an extensive voter file creation process, the database has the ability to show the discrepancy between the number of voters and the number of ballots cast in an election. Detected discrepancies indicate issues with record keeping and the need for more proactive maintenance of voter rolls.
There is a wide range of discrepancy among states, VRF said in its release. The discrepancy in the state of New Mexico is 3,844 votes. Yet, in Michigan, the discrepancy is 74,135, while in North Carolina it is 42.
