Judge Rules in Favor of SPPI Against Secretary of State’s Motion to Dismiss

I am thrilled to share the news that the judge has ruled against the New Mexico Secretary of State’s motion to dismiss the Southwest Public Policy Institute’s complaint for violation of IPRA. This is a significant victory for us, as it means we can continue our lawsuit against the Secretary of State.

In a hearing that took place on Friday, April 21, 2023, SPPI was represented by Jordon George of Aragon, Moss, George, Jenkins, LLP, while the Secretary of State substituted in house counsel in late March with Mark Allen, New Mexico Assistant Attorney General.

In our lawsuit, we allege that the Secretary of State improperly denied our request for voter data under the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). The Secretary of State argued that our request was not governed by IPRA, but by the Election Code. However, after hearing arguments from both parties, the judge ruled that IPRA does, in fact, apply to our request.

This ruling is an important affirmation of our right to access public records under IPRA. It also ensures that the Secretary of State will be held accountable for their actions in improperly denying our request for voter data. We believe that this data is essential for our work on public policy issues and for promoting greater transparency and accountability in government.

We are grateful for the court’s ruling and look forward to continuing our fight for greater access to public records. We believe that this case sets an important precedent for others who seek to hold government officials accountable and promote greater transparency in our democracy.