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Suit Filed Over Independents Barred from Voting

(Information in the following story is from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque lawyer has filed a suit on behalf of nearly 249,000 people barred by state law from voting in the primary election because they're registered as independent.

According to the suit filed in state District Court in Albuquerque by J. Edward Hollington, the law prohibiting independents violates the state constitution.

The suit argues that the constitution grants all citizens who are "qualified electors" the right to vote "at all elections for public officers."

It also notes that primary elections are paid for with tax dollars in New Mexico.

Hollington told The Santa Fe New Mexican on Tuesday that he doesn't expect a hearing on the suit for several months.

He says his hope is to have the state Supreme Court decide the issue in time for the 2016 primary.