SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s Secretary of State, Maggie Toulouse Oliver, revealed on Tuesday that she has been subjected to harassment and threatening messages on social media following her efforts to counter conspiracy theories about the recent election.
Toulouse Oliver, who oversees the state’s elections, made the comments during a briefing to a legislative panel on the administration of the general election and the certification process. She emphasized the increase in same-day voter registration and expressed her intention to report the threats to law enforcement.
“I am currently experiencing threats, harassment — even from some members of this committee — online,” Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, stated. “Thankfully, we have a law that protects me from this behavior.”
A state law passed in 2023 now makes it a fourth-degree felony to intimidate a state or local election official.
The harassment came after Toulouse Oliver attempted to address rising conspiracy theories by posting on the social media platform X, stating that Donald Trump had won the national election, though some states were still counting ballots. This post led to accusations of treason and threats, with some telling her she was “in the crosshairs.”
To avoid further harassment, Toulouse Oliver later restricted access to her account, opting instead to focus on public communications through the official account of her office. She indicated that she would be providing information to the state police and attorney general regarding the threats.
The Secretary of State also pointed to Republican Rep. John Block of Alamogordo, accusing him of contributing to the hostile environment by encouraging anger and online vitriol. Block denied the claims but expressed sympathy for Toulouse Oliver, saying he too had been subjected to online harassment. He also condemned violent threats, apologizing if Toulouse Oliver had been affected.
In response to the ongoing threats, Toulouse Oliver announced plans to advocate for additional security measures for election workers. One such measure would involve keeping the home addresses of state and local election officials confidential on government websites, a provision included in a 2023 law aimed at protecting public officials.
In the 2020 election, Trump lost New Mexico to Democratic candidate Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats retained the state’s three congressional seats and a U.S. Senate seat, though Republicans made gains in some legislative races, leaving them still in the minority in both the state House and Senate.
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