El Paso extends stay-at-home orders; NM Supreme Court says in-person voting to remain

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The below information is current as of 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. As we know, the news regarding Coronavirus and responses is changing by the minute. We will work to update as needed.)

Daily statistics

According to the Centers of Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html, the national confirmed COVID-19 cases increased from 579,005 April 14, to 605,390 April 15. There have been 24,582 deaths, up 2,330 from yesterday.

In New Mexico, confirmed cases rose from 1,407 April 14 to 1,484 April 15 (with 36 deaths) and 54 cases in Doña Ana County, with 4 new cases reported since yesterday.

In Texas, cases increased from 14,624 April 14 to 15,492 April 15, with 364 deaths. El Paso County has now confirmed 346 cases, up 46 from yesterday. The City of El Paso has also extended its stay-at-home orders through May 17.

Information from Mexico is more difficult to track, but as of April 15, the state of Chihuahua has confirmed at least 98 cases and 18 deaths. Of those, Ciudad Juarez has had 63 cases, with 16 deaths. Nationwide, Mexico has reported 5,399 cases as of April 15, with 406 deaths and 2,125 recoveries.

Globally, 2,047,731 have tested positive, with 133,354 deaths and 509,876 recoveries.

Regional Statistics

NEW MEXICO (info from April 15)

33,394 people tested

1,484 positive (4.4%)

90 currently hospitalized

353 recovered

36 deaths

54 cases in Doña Ana County (out of 2,625 tests, 2.1%)

Source: NM Dept of Health (https://cv.nmhealth.org/), updated daily approx. 4 p.m.

TEXAS

151,810 people tested

15,492 positive (10.2%)

1,583 hospitalized

3,150 recovered (estimated)

364 deaths

346 cases in El Paso County

Source: Texas Dept of Health (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news/updates.shtm#coronavirus), updated approximately 11 a.m.

State Supreme Court says no to all-mail ballots for June primary; in person voting to proceed

By Mike Cook

The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the state cannot hold an all-mail primary election.

The decision was announced shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, after the five-member court had heard about two hours of testimony on a petition from 26 county clerks, including Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda Lopez Askin, to allow for an all-mail ballot because of public health orders by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham mandating social distancing and prohibiting gatherings of more than five people to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The court deliberated for about two hours before reaching the decision, which was announced by Chief Justice Judy Nakamura.

“This is a very difficult case,” Nakamura said. “No one can deny the devastating effects this virus has had and continues to have on our community,” she said. But, the all-mail ballot requested by the majority of county clerks and supported by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and the governor is prohibited by state statute, Nakamura said. New Mexico’s election code mandates that a mail ballot cannot be delivered without a county clerk’s office receiving a request for it. In-person voting on or before election day “must proceed,” Nakamura said, in compliance with public health orders issued by the governor and the New Mexico Department of Health.

However, Nakamura said, the election code does not prohibit election officials from mailing absentee ballot requests to all registered voters, which the court ordered all county clerks and the secretary of state’s office to do because of the “substantial health risk” posed by in-person voting, Nakamura said.