Democratic Party of New Mexico

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Democratic Party of New Mexico
Basic facts
Location:	Albuquerque, N.M.
Type:	Political party
Affiliation:	Democratic
Top official:	Jessica Velasquez, Chair
Website:	Official website

The Democratic Party of New Mexico is the New Mexico political party affiliate of the national Democratic Party. The group is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The party is composed of a governing body and numerous committees.

Party chair

Jessica Velasquez

Jessica Velasquez was elected to a two-year term as chair in 2021 and re-elected in 2023.

Velasquez professional experience includes being a teacher and owning an electroplating business. She ran twice for the state House in New Mexico.

Party leadership

As of April 2024, the executive director of the New Mexico Democratic Party was Sean Ward.

The website for the New Mexico Democratic Party lists the following individuals as the party's state leadership as of April 2024:

• Jessica Velasquez, Chair
• Manny Crespín, Vice chair
• Rayellen Smith, Treasurer
• Isaac Dakota Casados, Secretary

For more information on the party's full leadership and staff, please click here.

Party platform

The party's current platform is composed of 20 main issues: Democrats believe that every person matters. All New Mexicans should have an equal voice in how we are governed. We call out the disproportionate influence by rich and powerful special interests on our government. We affirm the ties of unity and inclusion that bind us together as one human family.

• Agriculture
  "We support expanding farm and ranch land protection programs. We support protecting our traditional and heirloom seed stocks, as well as farm lands and local water rights."
• Arts
  "The arts and humanities must be supported for a flourishing community to exist as it is an equalizer for the diverse communities in our population."
• Civil Rights
  "Constitutional rights are universal regardless of race, color, creed, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, or age. We advocate the elimination of all discrimination based on race, religion, mental and physical disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment and public services."
• Education
  "We believe that a high quality public education is a basic right this is a sound investment with real and tangible returns for our citizens and economy and is a necessary component of a healthy democracy."
• Government
  "The balance of power between branches of government must be maintained. We oppose claims of a unitary executive authority. All officials must be held accountable for their actions."
• International Relations
  "We advocate abiding by the Geneva Conventions and treat those who do not follow those conventions as war criminals. Prohibit religious evangelism in the military."
• Media
  "Public access to the internet and the airwaves must be ensured. Give candidates free and equal media time and coverage."
• Native Americans
  "We support the State Tribal Collaboration Act and the notion that state government is obligated to collaborate on issues of importance to tribes, thus ensuring that Tribal governments shape the policies that affect their communities."
• Public Safety
  "Forbid any ammunition on any school bus under any circumstances, other than in the possession of a certified officer of the law."
• Earth First
  "We must end the silence surrounding climate-change and dialog about this greatest crisis seen in knowable history and recognize that climate-change and environmental destruction are the most important issues of this age."
• Economy
  "We must support and revive environmentally responsible local and national manufacturing and agriculture. We support job-creation legislation for local infrastructure projects."
• Elections
  "We support the “Move to Amend the Constitution” movement, to make disclosure of all donations public, and to prevent corporate interests and Super PACs from dominating our elections."
• Energy
  "We support active environmental policies that result in good stewardship of the Earth, promote conservation of non-renewable energy resources, and promote the development and use of clean, renewable and sustainable energy resources to achieve energy independence."
• Health and Healthcare
  "Health is a basic need and right, and the New Mexico State Constitution should be amended to reflect that right."
• Immigration
  "Migration is a normal human behavior and is a human right. We must reform our immigration policies to allow people to make this country their home, as we have in previous generations."
• Labor
  "We support using local union shops, businesses and workers. We support the rights of workers to be upheld with fair and just labor laws."
• Lands
  "Our national resources belong to all Americans and should be used to further the common good. We support community sovereignty over their lands."
• Taxation
  "Taxation must be responsible and fair to support our infrastructure and the needs of our population. Special tax cuts for the wealthy must be repealed."
• Veterans
  "We must fulfill promises made to veterans, treat them with respect for their service to our country, and comprehensively meet their needs upon discharge."
• Water
  "Support legislation that keeps our water supply clean, safe and sustainable for future generations."

Party rules and bylaws

Candidate ballot access
Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

See also: Rules of the New Mexico Democratic Party

The state party is governed by a set of rules and bylaws. Typically, these give structure to the different levels of organization—local, county, and state committees—and establish protocol for electing committee members. The bylaws also typically give details on the party's process for nominating and sending delegates to the national party convention during presidential elections. The following is an excerpt from the New Mexico Democratic Party's rules. This selection focuses on the structure and governance of the party:

“

The State Central Committee is the supreme governing body of the DPNM when regularly convened in the absence of a convention in session. It shall have general supervision and control of the political affairs of the party. Members of the State Central Committee shall serve as automatic delegates to all State Conventions, in addition to those state delegates duly elected at the County Conventions, unless prohibited by the rules of the Democratic Party of the United States. (4.1.A) … The policy of the DPNM is that its business shall be financed primarily by contributions from each of its individual members as their means allow. The State Central Committee has the responsibility of fulfilling that policy by maintaining a systematic program for soliciting and collecting such contributions. It shall have the authority for appropriation of state party funds. (4.1.B) … The total number of members of the State Central Committee including the Chair and Vice-Chair is calculated as follows: Divide the average of the number of votes in each county for the nominees for Governor and President in the most recent election for each office by 1000; if the decimal portion is greater than or equal to .50 then round the result up to the next largest whole number—this result is the total number of members. Since the whole number obtained includes the Chair and Vice-Chair subtract 2 from it to obtain the additional members to be elected to the State Central Committee. (4.2.B.1)

”

Primary elections

In New Mexico, U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidates have three ways to make the primary ballot:

• Candidates can file for a pre-primary convention designation. That filing deadline is February 6, 2024. If they submit enough signatures and are certified, they will be voted on at the major party convention. The winner must receive at least 20% of the vote at the convention to win the nomination. The winner will be added to the primary ballot.
• If a candidate filed for a pre-primary convention designation and did not win the nomination at the convention, they can submit additional signatures by the March 12, 2024, filing deadline to make the primary ballot.
• Candidates can skip the pre-primary convention designation filing deadline and just submit enough signatures by the March 12 deadline to appear on the primary ballot.

Party candidates

Note: The following table lists candidates who filed to run for office with this political party in a given year. This may also include candidates who filed to run with more than one political party. The list may not be comprehensive if the state's official filing deadline has not passed. This list may not populate if no candidates have filed to run with this political party. The table lists non-presidential candidates who filed to run for office with this political party in a given year. For more information on presidential candidates and elections, please click here.

Using the tools at the top of the table, you can increase the number of candidates shown on your screen or scroll through the table to view additional candidates. To report an error, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

See also

• List of political parties in the United States
• Political parties in New Mexico
• Democratic Party
• New Mexico

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• New Mexico Democratic Party Website
• New Mexico Democratic Party on Facebook
• New Mexico Democratic Party on Twitter