|
What is one of the easiest and most
effective things you can do to help animals?
Hint: It takes only a few minutes a couple times a
year, but has impacts throughout the year.
A: VOTE!
Filling our state legislature, county commissions
and city councils with animal-friendly officials helps
ensure that animal protection issues are given the
credence that they deserve. Plus, it is a lot easier
to get pro-animal bills and ordinances passed when
the lawmakers are already on our side. Yet, to get
animal-friendly lawmakers, all animal advocates need
to vote!
Check out APV’s legislative
scorecards to learn how your state legislators
voted on animal-related bills.
Don’t forget the Primary Elections!
Many people only vote in the general elections, held
each November. But it is important to vote in the
primary elections as well, especially on the local
and state levels. Some races are won or lost in the
primary, with all contenders coming from the same
political party. When you register to vote you must
designate a political party in order to vote in that
party’s primary election. The animals have friends
and foes among all political parties, so the important
thing is to vote!
Registering to Vote in New Mexico
- You can register in person at your county clerk’s
office.
- You can also mail in a voter registration form,
available from the secretary of state, your county
clerk, many public libraries, and even some local
businesses. There are also numerous organized voter
registration drives being held prior to the 2004
general election.
- You can also fill out a form on line at www.rockthevote.org.
You’ll still have to mail it in since New
Mexico doesn’t have online voter registration
yet.
For more detailed information on registering
to vote and on how to contact your county clerk, visit
the Secretary of State’s web page: sos.state.nm.us, or the Bureau of Elections.
.....
Congratulations to the following APV endorsed candidates for their Election Victory:
 Attorney General Gary King. As a state representative, Gary sponsored, fought hard for and successfully passed the bill to ban horse tripping in 1995. In 1997, Gary was the sole vote on the House Judiciary committee against a memorial that praised the Coulston Foundation, a notoriously cruel research facility, for its fine work. Gary also sponsored a successful memorial requesting a study on the need to increase penalties for cruelty to animals, which led to the felony animal cruelty law. Since leaving the legislature, Gary has continued to speak out in favor of animal protection efforts and we are excited to continue to work with the Attorney General’s office to protect animals.
Representative Teresa Zanetti, House District 15 (Bernalillo County). Representative Zanetti earned a 100% voting record for animal issues in 2006. She voted in favor of a ban on cyberhunting, increasing penalties for poaching wildlife, requiring bear-proof containers in bear country, and providing for animal safety in disaster plans. In 2005, Zanetti voted to support a ban on cockfighting, a bill requiring a bittering agent to be added to antifreeze and for a regulatory board to train and license euthanasia providers in New Mexico’s animal shelters.
Representative Gail Chasey, House District 18 (Bernalillo County). Representative Chasey earned a 100% voting record in both 2005 and 2006. She voted in favor of a ban on cyberhunting, increasing penalties for poaching wildlife, requiring bear-proof containers in bear country, providing for animal safety in disaster plans, a ban on cockfighting, requiring bitter antifreeze, and holding people responsible for their animals who pose a danger to the public. In addition, as Chair of the House Consumer and Public Affairs committee, she voted against expansion of canned hunting operations in the state, and as a member of the House Judiciary committee voted in favor of creating shelter standards through the Animal Sheltering Services Act.
Representative Kathy McCoy, House District 22 (Bernalillo, Sandoval and Santa Fe County). Representative McCoy has been a champion of animal issues for many years. In 2005, she sponsored HB 482, also known as Scooby’s Law, to add a bittering agent to antifreeze sold in New Mexico in order to protect both animals and children from poisoning. A similar national bill, the Antifreeze Bittering Act, is pending. Representative McCoy supports a ban on cockfighting, as well as strong enforcement of animal cruelty laws. Representative McCoy has also been the recipient of the prestigious Animal Protection of New Mexico’s Milagro Award for her sponsorship of important animal legislation and her leadership to improve the lives of New Mexico’s animals.
Representative Thomas Swisstack, House District 60 (Sandoval County). Representative Swisstack has consistently been a legislative champion for animals as he has earned a 100% voting record on animal issues every legislative session. Swisstack voted in favor of a ban on cyberhunting, increasing penalties for poaching wildlife, prohibition of intracardial euthanasia injection, providing for animal safety in disaster plans, a ban on cockfighting, requiring bitter antifreeze, studying alternatives to animal dissection and holding people responsible for their animals who pose a danger to the public.
Judge Clay Campbell, NM District Court District 2, Division XII. Judge Clay Campbell shares his home with his wife, two step-children, and their three adopted shelter dogs. APV endorses Judge Campbell because of both his compassion for animals, and for his important August 2006 ruling which prohibited a well-known animal abuser from ever owning dogs again after he was arrested in Texas with 29 dogs in his van, five of whom died.
We also congratulate the following candidates on their well-fought campaigns:
Jim Baca for State Land Commissioner
Judge Clyde DeMersseman, Metropolitan Court Division XVII
Each election year, Animal Protection Voters sends surveys to candidates in competitive races and asks their positions on current and future issues that affect animals in the state of New Mexico such as cockfighting, animal shelters, regulation of animal businesses and conservation of wildlife habitat, just to name a few. Endorsed candidates are those who pledge to take a pro-animal position on these issues or have already demonstrated a commitment to promoting strong laws for animals at the state level. Thank you to everyone who voted for the animals yesterday and donated to Animal Protection Voters PAC to help us support these candidates campaigns.
2008 will be another important year for animals in our state and national governments and we can only send our endorsements to paying members. Please join Animal Protection Voters today so that we can let you know which candidates we will be endorsing in the 2008 primary and general elections (membership notification will be sent prior to early voting for both races) and continue to help give animals an effective political voice here in New Mexico.
Join APV and become a Political Animal today!
|
