New Mexico judicial elections
Judges in New Mexico are elected in either retention elections or partisan elections. General elections are held in even numbered years. A judge who was appointed into a vacancy must run in a partisan election in the next general election. The winner runs in retention elections after that. In a retention election, a candidate must receive 57% of the vote to be retained.[1]
New Mexico is one of eight states that use partisan elections to initially select judges and then use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
| Supreme Court | Court of Appeals | District Courts | Magistrate Courts | Probate Courts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partisan elections or Retention election - Eight-year terms | Partisan elections or Retention election - Eight-year terms | Partisan elections or Retention election - Six-year terms | Partisan elections | Partisan elections |
Elections
- New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2024
- New Mexico intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2022
- New Mexico intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
- New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2020
- New Mexico intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
- New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2018
- New Mexico intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
- New Mexico local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- New Mexico judicial elections, 2016
- New Mexico judicial elections, 2014
- New Mexico judicial elections, 2012
- New Mexico judicial elections, 2010
Election rules
Retention election
In these elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the judge in office for another term. The retention elections are held on general election day. In a retention election, a candidate must receive 57% of the vote to be retained.[2]
Filing deadlines
- Judges running in partisan elections must file on the second Tuesday of March between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Judges filing for retention must file on the 21st day after the primary election between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.[3]
History
Judges in New Mexico were elected in partisan elections from the inception of the state in 1912. In 1952, a judicial nominating commission was formed to nominate candidates to judicial vacancies. The current judicial electoral procedure was not adopted until 1988. The necessary percentage of affirmative votes in retention elections was raised to the current 57% in 1994.[4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Judicial Selection, "Judicial Selection in the States: New Mexico," accessed January 21, 2014
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes, Article VI, Section 33," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes, Article VI, Section 34," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "History of Reform Efforts: New Mexico," accessed April 25, 2014
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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
