New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2020

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2020 New Mexico
House Elections
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GeneralNovember 3, 2020
PrimaryJune 2, 2020
Past Election Results
2018・2016・2014
2012・2010・2008
2020 Elections
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New Mexico Democrats lost seats but kept their majority in the 2020 House elections. All 70 House seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Democrats had a 46-24 majority—one seat short of the 47-seat majority required to override a governor's veto. Democrats lost a net two seats, while Republicans gained a net one seat and one independent legislator was elected, leaving the chamber's post-election partisan balance at 44-25 with one independent.

The New Mexico House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. All 70 seats in the New Mexico House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.

New Mexico's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In New Mexico, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto.

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

New Mexico modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Absentee ballot applications were sent to all registered voters in the general election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Party control

See also: Partisan composition of state houses and State government trifectas
New Mexico House of Representatives
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 46 44
     Republican Party 24 25
     Independent 0 1
Total 70 70

Candidates

General election

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Note: District 48 incumbent Linda Trujillo (D) withdrew from the general election and was replaced on the ballot by Tara Lujan (D).

Note: District 60 incumbent Timothy Lewis (R) withdrew from the general election and was replaced on the ballot by Joshua Hernandez (R).



Primary election




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Incumbents who were not re-elected
See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 10, 2020

Incumbents defeated in the general election

Two incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:

Name Party Office
Art De La Cruz Electiondot.png Democratic House District 12
Rodolpho Martinez Electiondot.png Democratic House District 39

Incumbents defeated in primary elections

No incumbents lost in the June 2 primaries, marking a decrease from the three incumbents defeated in primaries in 2018.

Retiring incumbents

There were nine incumbent legislators who did not appear on the ballot.[1] Those incumbents were:

Name Party Office
Paul Bandy Ends.png Republican House District 3
Abbas Ali Akhil Electiondot.png Democratic House District 20
Gregg Schmedes Ends.png Republican House District 22
Joseph Sanchez Electiondot.png Democratic House District 40
Dan Barrone Electiondot.png Democratic House District 42
Jim Trujillo Electiondot.png Democratic House District 45
David M. Gallegos Ends.png Republican House District 61
Timothy Lewis Ends.png Republican House District 60
Tomas E. Salazar Electiondot.png Democratic House District 70


There were 10 open seats in 2020, similar to the last four election cycles, which saw between eight and 12 retired incumbents. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.

Open Seats in New Mexico House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020
Year Total seats Open seats Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2020 70 10 (14 percent) 60 (86 percent)
2018 70 9 (13 percent) 61 (87 percent)
2016 70 8 (11 percent) 62 (89 percent)
2014 70 11 (16 percent) 59 (84 percent)
2012 70 12 (17 percent) 58 (83 percent)
2010 70 3 (4 percent) 67 (96 percent)

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New Mexico

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Article 8 of the New Mexico Code

A candidate in New Mexico may run with an officially recognized political party, as an independent or as a write-in.

For major party candidates

The first page of a nominating petition, 2014.

A major party candidate files for office by submitting a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition to the proper filing official. A candidate must file the nominating petition and declaration of candidacy at the same time. This paperwork must be filed in person by the candidate between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the designated day for filing. The candidate must be affiliated with the political party with which he or she is running. Affiliation with that political party must be made before the date of the governor's proclamation for the primary election.[2]

A candidate may seek a "pre-primary convention designation" before the primary election. A pre-primary convention designation guarantees a candidate a place on the primary election ballot. Every candidate receiving at least 20 percent of the vote at the party convention will be certified to the New Mexico Secretary of State as a convention-designated nominee for that office by the political party.[3]

According to the New Mexico Statutes, the nominating petition for a pre-primary convention designation candidate must be signed "by a number of voters equal to at least 2 percent of the total vote of the candidate's party in the state or congressional district, or the following number of voters, whichever is greater: for statewide offices, 230 voters; and for congressional candidates, 77 voters."[4]

A candidate who seeks but fails to receive a pre-primary convention designation may collect additional signatures totaling at least "4 percent of the total vote of the candidate's party in the state or congressional district, whichever applies to the office the candidate seeks." The candidate is required to file a new declaration of candidacy and the additional nominating petition for the office for which the candidate failed to receive a pre-primary designation. The post-convention declaration of candidacy and nominating petition must be filed with the New Mexico Secretary of State either 10 days following the date of the pre-primary convention at which the candidate failed to receive the designation, or on the date all declarations of candidacy and additional nominating petitions are due, whichever is later.[5]

For minor party candidates

The selection method for minor party candidates varies according to the rules of the specific party. Broadly speaking, the following requirements apply:[6]

  1. The chair and secretary of the state political convention must certify to the New Mexico Secretary of State the names of their party's nominees for federal, statewide, and state legislative offices.[7]
  2. The names certified to the New Mexico Secretary of State must be filed on the 21st day following the primary election and must be accompanied by a petition containing the signatures of at least 1 percent of the total number of the votes cast at the last preceding general election for the office of governor.[8]
  3. The petition must contain a statement affirming that the voters signing the petition are residents of New Mexico and the district, county, or area to be represented by the office being sought.[9]

For independent candidates

An independent candidate files for office by submitting a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition to the proper filing official. Candidates must file nominating petitions at the time of filing their declarations of candidacy.[10]

The petition for an independent candidate for the United States Senate or any other statewide office must be signed by at least 3 percent of the total number of votes cast for governor in the previous general election. The petition for an independent candidate for the United States House of Representatives must be signed by at least 3 percent of the total number of votes cast for governor in the previous general election in that particular congressional district. The petition for an independent candidate for the state legislature must be signed by at least 3 percent of the total number of votes cast for governor in the respective legislative district.[11][12][13]

All requisite paperwork must be filed with the proper filing official before 5:00 p.m. on the 21st day following the primary election.[14]

For write-in candidates in the primary election

A write-in candidate may only seek the nomination of the party with which he or she is affiliated. The candidate must qualify to be a candidate for the political party whose nomination he or she seeks.[15]

The candidate must file with the proper filing official a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. The declaration must be filed before 5:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday in March in the year of the election.[16]

No unopposed write-in candidate can have an election certified unless the number of votes received by the candidate at least equals the number of signatures he or she would have had to acquire on a nominating petition.[17]

For write-in candidates in the general election

A write-in candidate in a general election must file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the proper filing official no later than the 21st day after the primary election.[18]

No person can run as a write-in candidate in the general election if he or she was a candidate in the primary election immediately preceding the general election.[19]

No unopposed write-in candidate can have an election certified unless the candidate receives votes equal to at least 2 percent of the total number of votes cast in the electoral district for governor in the last preceding general election in which a governor was elected.[20]

2020 ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for New Mexico House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
New Mexico House of Representatives Qualified party Varies by party and district N/A 3/10/2020 Source
New Mexico House of Representatives Unaffiliated Varies by party and district N/A 6/25/2020 Source

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

Article 4, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution states: Senators shall not be less than twenty-five years of age and representatives not less than twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. If any senator or representative permanently removes his residence from or maintains no residence in the district from which he was elected, then he shall be deemed to have resigned and his successor shall be selected as provided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in the legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries public and officers of the militia who receive no salary.

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[21]
SalaryPer diem
$0/year$191/day

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

New Mexico legislators assume office on the first day of January after a general election.[22]

New Mexico political history

Trifectas

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.

New Mexico Party Control: 1992-2024
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R D D D D D D D D

Presidential politics in New Mexico

2016 Presidential election results

U.S. presidential election, New Mexico, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngHillary Clinton/Tim Kaine 48.3% 385,234 5
     Republican Donald Trump/Mike Pence 40% 319,667 0
     Libertarian Gary Johnson/Bill Weld 9.3% 74,541 0
     Green Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka 1.2% 9,879 0
     Socialism and Liberation Gloria Estela La Riva/Dennis J. Banks 0.1% 1,184 0
     Constitution Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley 0.2% 1,514 0
     American Delta Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg 0.1% 475 0
     Better for America Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson 0.7% 5,825 0
Total Votes 798,319 5
Election results via: New Mexico Secretary of State

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Mexico utilizes a closed primary process; participation in each party's primary is limited to registered party members.[23][24][25]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In New Mexico, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[26]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in New Mexico, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of New Mexico, and at least 18 years old by the time of the next election. People convicted of a felony are eligible to vote after their prison time is completed, even if they are still on probation, parole, or another form of supervised release. Individuals who have been declared mentally incapacitated may not register to vote.[27]

Potential New Mexico voters who were not registered automatically may use the New Mexico voter registration form or national voter registration form to register. Completed registration materials may be mailed or delivered by hand to election officials. First-time applicants by mail must attach a valid form of identification to their registration materials. Registration can also be completed online.[27]

Automatic registration

New Mexico allows automatic voter registration. Eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they interact with a department of motor vehicles unless they opt out.[28][29]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

New Mexico has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

New Mexico allows same-day voter registration.[30][31]

Residency requirements

In New Mexico, individuals can register to vote as soon as they become residents of the state.[32]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

New Mexico does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.[33]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[34] As of November 2024, five states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

New Mexico does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. However, if an individual registered to vote for the first time by mail and did not provide verification of his or her identity then, the voter will have to show identification.[35]

Those voters can present the following forms of identification:

  • Current and valid photo identification
  • Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card, or other government document, including identification issued by an Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo that shows the voter’s name and current address

Some municipalities require identification when voting in local elections. Click here for more information.

Early voting

New Mexico permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in New Mexico. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[36]

The county clerk must receive the absentee ballot application no later than 5 p.m. on Friday before the election. Completed ballots must be returned to the county clerk or voter's precinct before 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.[36]



See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
  2. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-21," accessed January 3, 2014
  3. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-21.1(C)," accessed January 14, 2014
  4. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-33," accessed January 3, 2014
  5. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-33," accessed January 3, 2014
  6. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-1," accessed January 3, 2014
  7. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-2(A)(1)," accessed January 3, 2014
  8. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-2(B)," accessed January 3, 2014
  9. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-2(B)(2)," accessed January 3, 2014
  10. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-45," accessed January 3, 2014
  11. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-51(C)," accessed January 3, 2014
  12. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-45(D)," accessed January 3, 2014
  13. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-45(E)," accessed January 3, 2014
  14. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-52(A)," accessed January 3, 2014
  15. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-36.1(B)," accessed January 14, 2014
  16. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-36.1(C)," accessed January 14, 2014
  17. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-8-36.1(F)," accessed January 14, 2014
  18. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-12-19.1," accessed January 14, 2014
  19. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-12-19.1(e}," accessed January 14, 2014
  20. ↑ New Mexico Election Code, "Chapter 1-12-19.1(F)," accessed January 14, 2014
  21. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  22. ↑ New Mexico Constitution, "Article IV, Section 4, accessed November 1, 2021
  23. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 22, 2024
  24. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
  25. ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "FAQs for Primary & General Election Candidacy," accessed August 22, 2024
  26. ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 12.1", accessed August 22, 2024
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, “Voter Registration Information,” accessed August 22, 2024
  28. ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.2", accessed August 22, 2024
  29. ↑ Office of the Governor, "Gov. Lujan Grisham enacts same-day, automated voter registration," March 27, 2019
  30. ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.7", accessed August 22, 2024
  31. ↑ The NM Political Report, “Gov. signs same-day voter registration bill,” March 27, 2019
  32. ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Eligibility Requirements and FAQs," accessed August 22, 2024
  33. ↑ The State of New Mexico, "Voter Registration Form," accessed November 1, 2024
  34. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  35. ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voting," accessed August 22, 2024
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed August 22, 2024


Current members of the New Mexico House of Representatives
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
Bill Hall (R)
District 4
District 5
District 6
Vacant
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
G. Romero (D)
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
Democratic Party (44)
Republican Party (25)
Vacancies (1)


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