Opinion ID: 2614688
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Assistance of Absentee Voter.

Text: Although there are elaborate provisions for giving assistance to a disabled voter who requests it at the polls on election day, § 1-12-15, N.M.S.A. 1978, there was no hint in the law at the time of this election as to the proper way to assist a disabled absentee voter who was voting in the County Clerk's office. The Legislature has since enacted a law to close this gap. § 1-6-5(E), N.M.S.A. 1978 (Cum.Supp. 1979). In this case, Mrs. Atwood, the wife of the Democratic candidate, assisted a voter in casting her ballot. There is no claim or proof of any undue influence or other wrongdoing on the part of Mrs. Atwood, except that she simply helped the voter in casting her ballot. There was no violation of a statute. There is no other evidence of acts that were inimical to the purity of the election. We hold that the voiding of this ballot by the trial court was in error. Having affirmed the district court on the invalidation of sufficient votes to change the election results, we remand the case to that court for the entry of a judgment confirming the election of Kiehne as Catron County Clerk. IT IS SO ORDERED. FEDERICI, J., and JOE H. GALVAN, District Judge, concur.