Report Finds Native Voting Rejections Rose 200%

In New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District race, Republican pharmacist and business owner Didi Okpareke is challenging Democratic incumbent Melanie Stansbury, with the candidates offering different views on the economy, health care and the Trump administration. Okpareke backs continuing the administration’s policies, calls for action to lower medication costs and criticized Stansbury over crime; Stansbury cited federal funding she has secured and called for addressing living costs, opposing tariffs and health care cuts, ending the Iran war and strengthening congressional oversight. During a debate, Okpareke pressed Stansbury to testify publicly before the election to the state’s Epstein Truth Commission; Stansbury said her office had not been contacted but that she would respond if called. Separately, a Native American Rights Fund report found voter-registration application and mail-ballot rejections rose 200% in counties with large Native populations, raising concerns about barriers to Native participation in New Mexico’s midterm elections. The report recommended improving registration access, polling locations and voting infrastructure in Native communities.