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New Mexico 2024 ballot measures
In 2024, eight statewide ballot measures were on the ballot in New Mexico for the election on November 5.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bond Question 1 | Issues $30.76 million in bonds to fund senior citizens facilities |
|
572,049 (70%) |
242,732 (30%) |
|
| Bond Question 2 | Issues $19.305 million in bonds to fund public libraries |
|
545,321 (67%) |
265,087 (33%) |
|
| Bond Question 3 | Issue $230.26 million in bonds to fund capital improvement projects for higher education institutions, special public schools, and tribal schools |
|
530,807 (66%) |
277,070 (34%) |
|
| Bond Question 4 | Issues $10.297 million in bonds to modernize public safety radio communications systems |
|
498,733 (63%) |
292,783 (37%) |
|
| Constitutional Amendment 1 | Proportionally applies the disabled veteran property tax exemption according to a veteran's disability rating |
|
701,047 (83%) |
145,855 (17%) |
|
| Constitutional Amendment 2 | Increases the property tax exemption for veterans from $4,000 to $10,000, adjusted annually for inflation |
|
611,027 (72%) |
240,349 (28%) |
|
| Constitutional Amendment 3 | Authorize the designee of the dean of the University of New Mexico Law School serve as chair of the judicial nomination commission |
|
412,465 (51%) |
389,871 (49%) |
|
| Constitutional Amendment 4 | 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 |
|
520,128 (66%) |
271,961 (34%) |
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
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 | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
Ballot initiative certification rates
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 | |
| # | % | ||
| Averages | |||
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 | 
|
| LRCA | Citizen Commission on Legislative Salaries Amendment | State legislatures | Creates a citizen commission on legislative salaries |
|
| 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 |
|
State profile
| Demographic data for New Mexico | ||
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 2,080,328 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 121,298 | 3,531,905 |
| 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 six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
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
- Elections in New Mexico
- United States congressional delegations from New Mexico
- Public policy in New Mexico
- Endorsers in New Mexico
- New Mexico fact checks
- More...
See also
- 2024 ballot measures
- List of New Mexico ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in New Mexico
- New Mexico Legislature
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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