New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2020
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The seats of two New Mexico Supreme Court justices were up for partisan election on November 3, 2020. Incumbents Shannon Bacon (D) and David Thomson (D) each won re-election. This maintained the Democratic majority on the court at 4-1.
One seat, held by Justice Judith Nakamura (R), would have been up for retention election on November 3, 2020. Nakamura announced she retired in 2020. Click here for information on the process to select her successor.
Election procedure changes in 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.
Candidates and election results
Bacon's seat
General election
General election for New Mexico Supreme Court
Incumbent Shannon Bacon defeated Ned S. Fuller in the general election for New Mexico Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Shannon Bacon (D) | 55.7 | 495,759 |
 | Ned S. Fuller (R) | 44.3 | 394,595 | |
| Total votes: 890,354 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Mexico Supreme Court
Incumbent Shannon Bacon advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shannon Bacon | 100.0 | 204,196 |
| Total votes: 204,196 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Mexico Supreme Court
Ned S. Fuller advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ned S. Fuller | 100.0 | 133,706 |
| Total votes: 133,706 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Thompson's seat
General election
General election for New Mexico Supreme Court
Incumbent David K. Thomson defeated Kerry Morris in the general election for New Mexico Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David K. Thomson (D) | 54.2 | 480,507 |
 | Kerry Morris (R) | 45.8 | 406,791 | |
| Total votes: 887,298 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Mexico Supreme Court
Incumbent David K. Thomson advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David K. Thomson | 100.0 | 201,767 |
| Total votes: 201,767 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Mexico Supreme Court
Kerry Morris advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kerry Morris | 100.0 | 132,763 |
| Total votes: 132,763 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate Conversations
Thompson's seat
Moderated by journalist and political commentator Greta Van Susteren, Candidate Conversations is a virtual debate format that allows voters to easily get to know their candidates through a short video Q&A.
Click below to watch the conversation for this race.
Past elections
2018
- See also: New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2018
General election
Special general election for New Mexico Supreme Court
Michael E. Vigil defeated incumbent Gary L. Clingman in the special general election for New Mexico Supreme Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michael E. Vigil (D) | 59.2 | 403,573 |
 | Gary L. Clingman (R) | 40.8 | 278,502 | |
| Total votes: 682,075 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
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2016
November 8 general electionIncumbent Judith Nakamura defeated Michael Vigil in the general election.
Barbara J. Vigil was retained with 71.60% of the vote.
June 7 primary
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About the New Mexico Supreme Court
- See also: New Mexico Supreme Court
The New Mexico Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state of New Mexico. The court is composed of five justices, four associate justices and one chief justice.[1]
Political composition
This was the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2020 election.
| ■ Shannon Bacon | Appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) in 2019 | |
| ■ Judith Nakamura | Appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez (R) in 2015 | |
| ■ David Thomson | Appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) in 2019 | |
| ■ Barbara J. Vigil | Elected in 2012 | |
| ■ Michael Vigil | Elected in 2018 |
Selection
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The five justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court are chosen by assisted gubernatorial appointment. A new appointee must stand in the next partisan election after his or her appointment. If a sitting judge wishes to serve additional terms, he or she must compete in an uncontested retention election and receive at least 57 percent of the vote. In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of qualified candidates recommended by the judicial nominating commission. The newly appointed judge must run in the next general election to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term. To win further full terms, the judge must stand for retention by voters thereafter.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must:
- be the minimum age of 35;
- have practiced law for the ten years preceding assumption of office;
- be a state resident of at least three years preceding assumption of office.[2]
Selection of the chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote to serve a two-year term. Traditionally, the supreme court chooses the most senior justice to fill the role.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Mexico • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Mexico
State courts:
New Mexico Supreme Court • New Mexico Court of Appeals • New Mexico District Courts • New Mexico Magistrate Court • New Mexico Municipal Courts • New Mexico Probate Courts • New Mexico Problem-Solving Courts • New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration Court • Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
State resources:
Courts in New Mexico • New Mexico judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Mexico
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