SANTA FE -- Jim Noel, a lawyer who currently heads the Judicial Standards Commission, will be the new director of the state's Bureau of Elections.

Noel is the son-in-law of U.S. Rep.Tom Udall, the Democratic nominee for an open U.S. Senate seat from New Mexico.

The secretary of state's office said Noel will begin his new job Sept. 8. He replaces Albuquerque lawyer Daniel Ivey-Soto, who resigned in March.

"The hiring of Tom Udall's son-in-law as state elections director is a stunning conflict of interest," said Shira Rawlinson, communications director of the Republican Party of New Mexico. "During an election that will be extremely competitive, it is entirely inappropriate that a close family member of one of the candidates be in charge of counting the votes."

Udall spokesperson Marissa Padilla said the hiring was a personnel decision made by the secretary of state's office. "We don't know anything about their personnel matters," she osaid.

The secretary of state's office said Noel was the most qualified of the candidates for the job and would not have been hired had Secretary of State Mary Herrera thought there was a possible conflict of interest. The secretary of state's office also said that the County Clerks count votes, not the Director of the Bureau of Elections.

Herrera's office also announced Monday that Kelli Fulgenzi has been hired as the administrator of the Bureau of Elections.