New Mexico's voter roll drops by more than 85,000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's voter rolls have decreased by more than 85,000 people since last year's general election after county clerks in all 33 counties conducted a "purge." The Albuquerque Journal reported (http://bit.ly/2eydzrK ) Friday that New Mexico conducts purges in odd-numbered years to remove voters no longer eligible to cast ballots — such as voters who have died and those who have moved. After the latest purge, New Mexico has slightly more than 1.2 million registered voters. Of that amount, roughly 46 percent are registered Democrats and 31 percent are registered Republicans, with the rest either identifying as independent or affiliating with other political parties. Those voter affiliation percentages were largely unchanged from the 2016 general election.