Before the press found out and he resigned, the new head of the state election bureau was a close relative to Representative Tom Udall (D-environutter):
Republicans riled as Udall kin takes top job at Elections Bureau
GOP spokeswoman says putting Senate hopeful's son-in-law in charge of election is 'stunning conflict of interest'Kate Nash | The New Mexican 8/25/2008 - 8/26/08
New Mexico Republicans are angry that Secretary of State Mary Herrera hired U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall's son-in-law to head the state Elections Bureau.
The new director, Jim Noel, is married to Udall's wife's daughter, Amanda Cooper. Cooper is managing the Northern New Mexico congressman's campaign against Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce for the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.
Then, once he was exposed, he said "No thanks":
NM elections bureau appointee withdraws
By DEBORAH BAKER Associated Press Writer Article Launched: 09/02/2008 05:05:08 PM MDTSANTA FE, N.M.—Jim Noel, whose selection as New Mexico's elections chief ran into a buzzsaw of GOP criticism because of his ties to a Democratic candidate, has decided not to take the job.
He told Secretary of State Mary Herrera he didn't want his appointment to be a distraction or raise questions about the integrity of the elections process.
In New Mexico? Pardon me while I barf a lot.