Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico

This article originally appeared in Source New Mexico.

New Mexico’s top election official has reversed course and says she will not pursue criminal charges over online threats toward her around this year’s election.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, told reporters on Nov. 12 that she was preparing to file a police report tied to harassment she faced on social media that were “egged on” by a Republican state representative who has made unverified claims of voter fraud in state elections.

But Alex Curtas, a spokesperson for Toulouse Oliver, said in an email Monday that plans have changed.

“We have not filed a report on this matter and are unlikely to as the most incendiary of the online messages were deleted before we could compile them for review and potential referral,” Curtas said.

Had she filed a report, Toulouse Oliver would have gone to state police or the state Department of Justice alleging violations of a 2023 state law making it a felony to intimidate election officials during their official duties.

Austin Fisher is a journalist for Source New Mexico. He is based in Santa Fe.