Transparency a must for elections

IT IS DEFINITELY time to do something about New Mexico’s muddled campaign finance rules.

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico commends the secretary of state for issuing long-overdue regulations to clarify the Campaign Reporting Act that governs campaign finance disclosures and coordinated expenditures in New Mexico. The secretary of state is right to address issues that have been troublesome in the past, including reporting requirements. Clarification of campaign financing rules is within the purview of the secretary of state in the absence of legislation to govern campaign finance reporting.

The 2017 Legislature enacted a campaign finance reporting rule, but the governor vetoed it. We cannot continue to endure elections where so many loopholes exist. We must require transparency in campaign contributions. The regulation also defines what a “coordinated” expenditure is, thus hopefully removing the shadows from so-called independent PACs and the candidates they support.

The League of Women Voters believes that an open, transparent government including the running and financing of political campaigns is key to a healthy democracy. The secretary has done a good job of interpreting existing laws to arrive at a clear and sensible set of disclosure rules.

JUDITH WILLIAMS

Santa Fe