2018 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 1 - Elections
Article 8 - Nominations and Primary Elections
Section 1-8-51 - Independent candidates for general or United States representative special elections; nominating petitions; required number of signatures.
A. The basis of percentage for the total number of votes cast in each instance referred to in this section shall be the total vote cast for governor at the last preceding general election at which a governor was elected.
B. Nominating petitions for an independent candidate for president of the United States shall be signed by a number of voters equal to at least three percent of the total number of votes cast in the state.
C. Nominating petitions for an independent candidate for United States senator or any other statewide elective office shall be signed by a number of voters equal to at least three percent of the total number of votes cast in the state.
D. Nominating petitions for an independent candidate for United States representative shall be signed by a number of voters equal to at least three percent of the total number of votes cast in the district.
E. Nominating petitions for an independent candidate for a member of the legislature, public regulation commission, district judge, district attorney, member of the state board of education, magistrate or county office shall be signed by a number of voters equal to at least three percent of the total number of votes cast in the district, division or county, as the case may be.
F. A voter shall not sign a petition for an independent candidate as provided in this section if he has signed a petition for another independent candidate for the same office.
History: 1953 Comp., § 3-8-27.7, enacted by Laws 1977, ch. 322, § 7; 1990, ch. 39, § 3; 1991, ch. 105, § 15; 1998, ch. 36, § 8.
The 1998 amendment, effective March 6, 1998, inserted ", public regulation commission" in Subsection E and substituted "A" for "The" at the beginning of Subsection F.
The 1991 amendment, effective April 2, 1991, substituted "three percent" for "five percent" in Subsections B, C, D and E and inserted "other" preceding "statewide" in Subsection C.
The 1990 amendment, effective March 1, 1990, deleted "three percent of the total number of votes cast in each of at least fifteen counties in the state and not less than" following "equal to at least" in Subsection B, deleted "three percent of the total number of votes cast in each of at least ten counties in the state and not less than" following "equal to at least" in Subsection C, deleted "three percent of the total number of votes cast in each of at least five counties in the district and not less than" following "equal to at least" in Subsection D, in Subsection F, deleted former item (2) which read "he has signed a petition for a candidate for the same office in the primary election," deleted the former final sentence which read "The voter shall not sign any nominating petition for more persons than the number of independent candidates necessary to fill such office at the next ensuing general election" and made related stylistic changes.
