A bill to make intimidating a poll worker a 4th degree felony in New Mexico is on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
SB 43 overwhelmingly passed the House on Monday on a 62-1 vote.
The only no vote came from Rep. Bill Rehm, who questioned if the punishment needed to be as severe as a 4th degree felony, which can lead up to 18 months in prison.
“Our criminal code is built that an attempted crime is one level less and this is an exception to it,” he said. “That is not good policy. We really should make the attempt a misdemeanor.”
The bill specifically lists anyone connected to the elections from the Secretary of State to anyone in her office down to those working at polling locations.
Intimidation includes use of or threatened use of force, violence, infliction damage, harm or loss, or any form of economic retaliation.