SANTA FE, N.M., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has called for a review of how the state's Democratic secretary of state spent federal election assistance funds.
The senator Tuesday asked the federal Election Assistance Commission to review the way Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron spent the funds, the Albuquerque Tribune reported.
Under the federal Help America Vote Act, New Mexico received $5,110,126 in funds in fiscal year 2003 and another $9,169,664 in fiscal year 2004.
Domenici said about $1 million was spent on an advertising campaign to educate people about the right to vote. He said many questioned whether it was an appropriate use of the funds.
Vigil called the Republican senator's statements "a partisan attack." She said new federal requirements under HAVA require money to be spent on voter education. She said there were 141,000 more New Mexico voters than four years ago.
The state canvassing board Tuesday certified the state's Nov. 2 election results. Bush received 376,930 votes, or 49.8 percent, to 370,942 votes, or 49 percent, for Democrat John Kerry.
