New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
26 JUNE 2026 

Contact:
Lindsey Bachman
New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office
505-479-2626, lindsey.bachman@sos.nm.gov

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award 

SANTA FE – The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) recognized New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver for her lifetime service in support of democracy and elections at its “A Decade of Defending Democracy” event on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. 

“Thank you so much to the Center for Election Innovation and Research for this special recognition and for always promoting trust in our election system,” said Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. “Each moment in my experience as an election official has ultimately driven me to help create a more modern, accessible, and secure process for voters in New Mexico and advocate for the integrity of elections nationwide. I could not have done any of it without the support of so many. I am so grateful for countless colleagues, staff, friends and family who continue to inspire and support me.” 

“Maggie has been a steady, principled voice for election integrity and voter access for years,” wrote CEIR Executive Director and Founder David Becker.  

When announcing the award this week, Becker said, “I first met Maggie nearly 20 years ago when she was the Bernalillo County Clerk in Albuquerque. She brought a passion for democracy to that job. She brought a deep knowledge of election processes to the Secretary of State’s Office… I saw first-hand how she put politics aside to form bonds with people across the political aisle – to find common ground with those that she might disagree with on some issues, but she could find agreement on others.” 

Maggie Toulouse Oliver has served as New Mexico’s Secretary of State since 2016, after serving as the Bernalillo County Clerk since 2007. Since becoming Secretary of State, she has implemented increased transparency rules for financial disclosure and campaign finance reporting, modernized the online campaign finance system, helped craft and pass good government legislation like same-day voter registration, automated voter registration, and New Mexico’s Native American Voting Rights Act. In addition to her elected position, Secretary Toulouse Oliver is the immediate Past President of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and has previously served NASS as President, President-Elect, Treasurer, and chair of the elections committee.   

The Center for Election Innovation and Research is a nonprofit organization with the goals of restoring trust in the American election system and promoting election procedures that encourage greater voter participation while ensuring election integrity and security. More information about CEIR is available on the organization’s website. 

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