The difference in perception is crystallized by a voting rights argument that went to the state Supreme Court this fall. County clerk Kunko interpreted state law as requiring most new registrants to produce some form of identification when they arrive to vote. Hispanic activists sued, and the high court ruled against Kunko, allowing most voters to cast a ballot without providing identification.
Kunko promises to follow the court ruling, but said he is mystified about the complaint. "People have to show ID whenever they use a credit card these days," he said. "Why is it difficult to show a license or an electric bill when you come in to vote?"
But Petra Morales is convinced the ID requirement was aimed mainly at Hispanics. "They would pick out Gonzales and Martinez and ask for IDs, but Smith and Johnson can walk right in," she said.
A similar dispute centers on the voting rights of ex-felons. Felons can vote in New Mexico after completing all parole and probation requirements. The county clerk, citing state law, said he will allow ex-felons to vote only if they produce documented proof that this condition has been met.
Aria, the local activist, considers that rule simple harassment. "The state has computers. They know the status on every one of these felons," she said. "So why do they force these guys to dig up some piece of paper they probably lost years ago?"
For Aria, the answer is clear. "So many of our young Chicanos are felons," she said. "The whole point of all these rules is to keep our people out."
In the final push to the polls, Hispanic leaders are planning parades and fiestas to spread the word that the Hispanic vote matters. Several communities are organizing caravans of "low riders" -- the souped-up sedans altered so that the body barely clears the road surface -- to lead voters to the polls on Nov. 2. "The idea is to show that voting is for Mexicanos, too," Juarez said. "It's to show that we can own this process, just like the Americanos do."
As in most other states, though, the feelings surrounding this election are so intense that many Hispanics are determined to turn out on Election Day, no matter what. "I'm excited to cast my first vote," said Heidi Carrillo, 24, a new registrant who was born in the United States to illegal immigrants. "They can ask for ID. They can make me last in the line. I don't care. I'm voting!"
