De Young remains silent as López Askin outlines re-election platform

Amanda López Askin is seeking a second full term as Doña Ana County Clerk and goes up against a familiar opponent that most voters know nothing about. 

López Askin, a Democrat who was appointed to the position of county clerk in 2018, faces her 2020 opponent for a second time. 

Cheryl De Young, López Askin’s Republican challenger, did not respond to calls, emails, texts and Facebook comments requesting her response to the Las Cruces Bulletin’s questionnaire. 

De Young’s campaign website identifies three issues of concern to her. It states that she’s against universal mail-in ballots, which New Mexico does not use. It also states that she believes the clerks’ offices should “welcome Watchers and Challengers” and that the state should require voter IDs. 

By contrast, López Askin responded in writing to questions generated by the Bulletin’s readers. Here are her answers.

Please provide relevant experience or background information about yourself that readers should know.

I was born and raised in Doña Ana County and am proud to be a native New Mexican. I have been the County Clerk for nearly six years, and I have led the administration of 10 elections. My background includes a diverse background in corporate and governmental organizations. I am a 3x NMSU Aggie with a PhD in a leadership-focused program. While obtaining my Ph.D., I was appointed to serve on the Board of Regents at New Mexico State University, where I supported the management of a 600-million-dollar organization, one of our community’s most important resources. Prior to serving as County Clerk, my professional experience encompassed working for a for-profit hospital, where I then chose to work for state government in school behavioral health advocacy, training, and promotion of best practices.

Why are you running for this position?

I have implemented significant positive changes in the county clerk’s office that have improved customer service, increased employee morale and retention, supported our recording and filing section, as well as passionately advocated for resources and best practices in our elections section. My background includes an extensive background in mental health and wellness, leadership development and government. That background does not speak to my deep roots and commitment to our community and doing everything I can to make our community a safer, healthier and supportive community.

What is the most important function of the county clerk’s office?

The individual who holds the County Clerk position must have the ability to be an administrator for the office – budget, personnel, policies, collaboration – and support both areas of focus we are responsible for in state statute. Since I have been in office, I have worked diligently to make sure our office is fully staffed and supported. We have had near 100 percent staffing for almost three years. Some things that I have accomplished since I have been in office:

• Advocating for and receiving six full-time positions to serve constituents and maintain staffing for over two years.
• Lobbying for and securing more than $3 million in capital outlay funds for a new election warehouse
• Increased digitization of historical and public records
• Full remodel of office to improve safety and security
• Increased pay for election officials
• Advocating and testifying in support of pro-voter legislation
• Building a strong civics presence in school districts throughout Doña Ana County
• Elected to and serve on the New Mexico Counties Executive Board
• Appointed to the Voting Security Certification Committee
• Represent New Mexico to the Federal Election Advisory Council
• Created a podcast, YouTube page, and expansion of our social media communications to increase access
• Expanded election official recruitment and training
• Increased education and professional development for all staff
  
  

Was the 2020 election stolen? Please explain your answer.

No, the 2020 election was not stolen. This is supported by numerous investigations, audits and court rulings across the country. The belief that the election was stolen is rooted in mis-/malinformation and unsupported claims.

Do you believe our voting system is sound and working? How can it be made better?

The New Mexico (and U.S.) voting system is sound and has proven to be based on the many layers of accountability. This includes utilizing paper ballots, so anything from one race to an entire election can be reviewed for accuracy. Audits, cybersecurity utilization, air-gapped (with no connection to the internet) voting systems, machine accuracy testing and implementation of industry-acknowledged best practices add to a system that is sound and functioning well. The voting system overall could be improved by offering regular and consistent voter education, national standardization (currently, each state runs its own elections), and continued budgetary support to meet the needs of administering elections and maintaining their critical infrastructure.