New Mexico 2024 ballot measures

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2026
2022

As of June 6, 2024, eight statewide ballot measures have been certified the ballot in New Mexico for elections in 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • The New Mexico State Legislature voted to send three constitutional amendments to the ballot related to property tax exemptions for veterans, the state judicial nominating commission, and county officers' salaries.
  • The state legislature also voted to send four bond measures totaling $290.6 million to the ballot.
  • A total of 125 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1994 and 2022. One hundred and three (103) ballot measures were approved, and 22 ballot measures were defeated.
  • On the ballot

    Type Title Description

    LRCA

    County Officer Salaries Amendment Authorize the board of county commissioners to set salaries for county officers and clarify that fees collected by the county are to be deposited into the county treasury

    LRCA

    Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption Amendment Proportionally applies the disabled veteran property tax exemption according to a veteran's disability rating

    LRCA

    Increase Veteran Property Tax Exemption Amendment Increases the property tax exemption for veterans from $4,000 to $10,000, adjusted annually for inflation

    LRCA

    Judicial Nominating Commission Amendment Authorize the designee of the dean of the University of New Mexico Law School serve as chair of the judicial nomination commission

    BI

    Public Education Bond Issue Issues $230,258,400 in bonds to fund public higher education institutions, special public schools, and tribal schools

    BI

    Public Libraries Bond Issue Issues $19,305,000 in bonds to fund public libraries

    BI

    Public Safety Radio Communications Systems Bond Issue Issues $10,297,100 in bonds to modernize public safety radio communications systems

    BI

    Senior Citizens Facilities Bond Issue Issues $30,758,100 in bonds to fund senior citizens facilities


    Getting measures on the ballot

    Citizens

    In New Mexico, citizens have the power to initiate veto referendums, which seek to repeal legislation, but not initiatives, which seek to enact legislation. Electors approved the power to initiate veto referendums in the state's constitution on November 5, 1911, which went into effect when New Mexico became a state on January 6, 1912.

    Legislature

    The New Mexico State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments and bond issues, to the ballot.

    New Mexico requires a simple majority vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 36 votes in the New Mexico House of Representatives and 22 votes in the New Mexico Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

    Bond issues require a simple majority vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session and the governor's signature to appear on the ballot. Bills proposing bond issues require the governor's signature for the bond issues to go on the ballot. The governor can use a partial veto to remove projects from bond legislation. In New Mexico, general obligation bonds require voter approval.

    Historical facts

    See also: List of New Mexico ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in New Mexico

    In New Mexico, a total of 125 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1994 and 2022. One hundred and three (103) ballot measures were approved, and 22 ballot measures were defeated.

    New Mexico statewide ballot measures, 1994-2022
    Total number Annual average Annual minimum Annual maximum Approved Defeated
    # % # %
    125
    4.17
    0
    17
    103
    82.40
    22
    17.60

    Ballot initiative certification rates

    See also: Ballot initiatives filed for the 2024 ballot

    The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in New Mexico between 2010 and 2022:

    New Mexico statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2022
    Year Ballot initiatives filed Certified
    # %
    2022
    0
    0
    0.0
    2020
    0
    0
    0.0
    2018
    0
    0
    0.0
    2016
    0
    0
    0.0
    2014
    0
    0
    0.0
    2012
    0
    0
    0.0
    2010
    0
    0
    0.0
    Averages
    0.0
    0.0
    0.0

    Not on the ballot

    Type Title Subject Description Result
    LRCA Public Education Commission with Public Education Department Amendment Education Replaces the public education commission with the public education department Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    LRCA Citizen Commission on Legislative Salaries Amendment State legislatures Creates a citizen commission on legislative salaries Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    LRCA Creation of State School Board Amendment Education Repeals the Public Education Commission and replaces it with the State School Board to set policy and manage the distribution of funds Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot

    State profile

    Demographic data for New Mexico
     New MexicoU.S.
    Total population:2,080,328316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):121,2983,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:73.2%73.6%
    Black/African American:2.1%12.6%
    Asian:1.4%5.1%
    Native American:9.1%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:3.3%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:47.4%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:84.2%86.7%
    College graduation rate:26.3%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$44,963$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:24.7%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Mexico.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    Presidential voting pattern

    See also: Presidential voting trends in New Mexico

    New Mexico voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

    Pivot Counties (2016)

    Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in New Mexico, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[1]

    Pivot Counties (2020)

    In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. New Mexico had three Retained Pivot Counties, 1.66 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

    More New Mexico coverage on Ballotpedia

    See also

    New Mexico

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.