New Mexico Bond Question 3, Public Education Bond Issue (2022)
| New Mexico Bond Question 3 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Bond issues | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
New Mexico Bond Question 3, the Public Education Bond Issue, was on the ballot in New Mexico as a legislatively referred bond question on November 8, 2022.[1] The ballot measure was approved.
A "yes" vote supported authorizing the sale and issuance of $215,986,000 in bonds for improvements to higher education, special public schools, and tribal schools. |
A "no" vote opposed authorizing the sale and issuance of $215,986,000 in bonds for improvements to higher education, special public schools, and tribal schools. |
The 2022 bond package included two other bond measures totaling approximately $259,722,000 in bonds.[2]
Election results
|
New Mexico Bond Question 3 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
392,064 | 61.28% | ||
| No | 247,779 | 38.72% | ||
Overview
What did the bond fund?
- See also: Text of measure
Bond Question 3 issued no more than $215,986,000 in general obligation bonds to make capital improvements for higher education, special schools, and tribal schools. A general obligation bond is public debt and is paid for through state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico. The bond measure was designed to be distributed as follows:[2]
Click show to expand the bond revenue table.
| New Mexico Public Education Bond (2022) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Amount | ||
| Roswell branch campus of Eastern New Mexico University | $2,475,000 | ||
| Eastern New Mexico University in Portales | $9,000,000 | ||
| Central New Mexico Community College | $15,000,000 | ||
| Clovis Community College | $1,685,000 | ||
| New Mexico Junior College | $2,100,000 | ||
| Navajo Technical University | $4,000,000 | ||
| Shiprock Branch Campus of Dine College | $5,000,000 | ||
| San Juan College in Farmington | $3,000,000 | ||
| Luna Community College in Las Vegas | $1,500,000 | ||
| Santa Fe Community College | $2,300,000 | ||
| New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired | $4,000,000 | ||
| New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas | $4,500,000 | ||
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Playas | $5,000,000 | ||
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro | $3,300,000 | ||
| New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell | $4,000,000 | ||
| New Mexico School for the Deaf | $1,400,000 | ||
| New Mexico State University in Las Cruces | $48,500,000 | ||
| Dona Ana Branch Community College Campuses of New Mexico State University | $1,350,000 | ||
| Grants Branch Campus of New Mexico State University | $1,250,000 | ||
| Espanola and El Rito Campuses of Northern New Mexico State School | $3,000,000 | ||
| University of New Mexico in Albuquerque | $81,000,000 | ||
| Gallup Branch Campus of the University of New Mexico | $3,000,000 | ||
| Los Alamos Branch Campus of the University of New Mexico | $1,300,000 | ||
| Taos Branch Campus of the University of New Mexico | $3,000,000 | ||
| Valencia Branch Campus of the University of New Mexico | $900,000 | ||
| Western New Mexico University in Deming | $2,000,000 | ||
| Western New Mexico University in Silver City | $2,000,000 | ||
What was the history of bond measures in New Mexico?
- See also: Background
Voters of New Mexico cast ballots on 28 bond issues, totaling $1.4 billion in value, between January 1, 2006, and January 1, 2020. All but one bond issue question—a $155.57 million bond for higher education—was approved. As of June 30, 2020, the state debt from general obligation bonds was $497.3 million and the state debt from general obligation bonds per state resident was $234.87.
How did Bond Question 3 get on the ballot?
- See also: Path to the ballot
In New Mexico, both chambers of the New Mexico State Legislature need to approve a bond issue by a simple majority during one legislative session to send a bond measure to the governor's desk.
Bond Question 3 was introduced as House Bill 153 on January 26, 2022. It included three separate bond measure questions, including this measure. The other two bond measures issued bonds for senior citizen facilities and public libraries. On February 12, 2022, the state House passed HB 153 in a vote of 66-2, with two excused. On February 15, 2022, the state Senate passed HB 153 in a vote of 37-0, five absent or excused. On March 9, 2022, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed the bill, sending the bond package to the 2022 ballot.
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[2]
| “ | The 2022 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of higher education, special schools and tribal schools capital improvement and acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed two hundred fifteen million nine hundred eighty-six thousand dollars ($215,986,000) to make capital expenditures for certain higher education, special schools and tribal schools capital improvements and acquisitions and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law?[3] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the ballot measure is below:[2]
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2022
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.
The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 27, and the FRE is -2. The word count for the ballot title is 107.
Support
State Representative Christine Chandler (D) sponsored the bond measure package.[1]
If you are aware of any supporters or supporting arguments that should be included here, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Opposition
If you are aware of any opponents or opposing arguments that should be included here, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
Ballotpedia identified one committee registered in support of Bond Question 3—Go Bonds For Education. The committee reported $348,710.00 in contributions.[4]
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $348,710.00 | $0.00 | $348,710.00 | $101,005.67 | $101,005.67 |
| Oppose | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $348,710.00 | $0.00 | $348,710.00 | $101,005.67 | $101,005.67 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure.[4]
| Committees in support of Bond Question 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Go Bonds For Education | $348,710.00 | $0.00 | $348,710.00 | $101,005.67 | $101,005.67 |
| Total | $348,710.00 | $0.00 | $348,710.00 | $101,005.67 | $101,005.67 |
Donors
The following were the top donors who contributed to the support committees.[4]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNM Foundation | $129,300.00 | $0.00 | $129,300.00 |
| NMSU Foundation | $84,800.00 | $0.00 | $84,800.00 |
| Central New Mexico Community College Foundation | $35,900.00 | $0.00 | $35,900.00 |
| Eastern New Mexico University Foundation | $21,000.00 | $0.00 | $21,000.00 |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology Foundation | $11,000.00 | $0.00 | $11,000.00 |
Background
Voter approval of bonds in New Mexico
- See also: Section 8 of Article IX of the New Mexico Constitution
Section 8 of Article IX of the New Mexico Constitution authorizes the state to pass a law to contract debt in the form of general obligation bonds and levy a tax. The law must be voted upon by a simple majority of voters and published in full in at least one newspaper in each county of the state. The state constitution also limits the amount of state debt: "No debt shall be so created if the total indebtedness of the state, exclusive of the debts of the territory, and the several counties thereof, assumed by the state, would thereby be made to exceed one percent of the assessed valuation of all the property subject to taxation in the state as shown by the preceding general assessment."[5]
Bond issues on the ballot in New Mexico
- See also: Bond issues on the ballot
Voters of New Mexico cast ballots on 28 bond issues, totaling approximately $1.4 billion in value, from January 1, 2006, through January 1, 2022. All but one bond issue, a $155.57 million bond in 2010 to provide capital expenditures for higher education and special schools, was approved. This means that voters in New Mexico approved 96.4% of bond issues on the ballot between 2006 and 2020.
The following table contains information on the 28 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in New Mexico between January 1, 2006, through January 1, 2022:
| Year | Measure | Amount | Primary purpose | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Question A | $15,958,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2006 | Question B | $118,360,000 | Higher education | |
| 2006 | Question C | $9,090,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2008 | Question A | $14,725,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2008 | Question B | $11,019,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2008 | Question C | $57,925,000 | Health facilities | |
| 2008 | Question D | $140,133,000 | Higher education | |
| 2010 | Question A | $7,790,320 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2010 | Question B | $7,082,110 | Public libraries | |
| 2010 | Question C | $5,100,000 | K-12 education | |
| 2010 | Question D | $155,567,824 | Higher education |  |
| 2012 | Question A | $10,335,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2012 | Question B | $9,830,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2012 | Question C | $120,000,000 | Higher education | |
| 2014 | Question A | $17,000,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2014 | Question B | $11,000,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2014 | Question C | $141,000,000 | Higher education | |
| 2016 | Question A | $15,440,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2016 | Question B | $10,167,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2016 | Question C | $142,356,000 | Higher education | |
| 2016 | Question D | $18,196,000 | Public safety facilities | |
| 2018 | Question A | $10,700,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2018 | Question B | $12,876,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2018 | Question C | $6,137,000 | School buses | |
| 2018 | Question D | $128,405,000 | Higher education | |
| 2020 | Question A | $33,300,000 | Senior citizen facilities | |
| 2020 | Question B | $9,700,000 | Public libraries | |
| 2020 | Question C | $156,300,000 | Higher education | |
General obligation bond debt
The New Mexico state treasurer provides an overview of the state’s debt resulting from general obligation bonds, which include all voter-approved bonds, each year on June 30.[6] A general obligation bond is public debt and is paid for through state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico.
According to the state treasurer's overview on June 30, 2020, New Mexico had $497.33 million in debt from general obligation bonds. The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds between June 30, 1998, and June 30, 2020:[7][8]
Using population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Ballotpedia calculated the per person amount of general obligation bond debt in New Mexico by year.[9] On June 30, 2020, the general obligation bond debt per New Mexican resident was $234.87. Between 1998 and 2020, the per person debt peaked in 2018 at $240.26. The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds per New Mexican resident between June 30, 1998, and June 30, 2020:
Path to the ballot
- See also: Legislatively-referred state statute
In New Mexico, both chambers of the New Mexico State Legislature need to approve a bond issue by a simple majority during one legislative session to send a bond measure to the governor's desk and then to the ballot for voter consideration if the governor does not veto the legislation.
Bond Question 3 was introduced as House Bill 153 on January 26, 2022. On February 12, 2022, the state House passed HB 153 in a vote of 66-2, with two excused. On February 15, 2022, the state Senate passed HB 153 in a vote of 37-0, five absent or excused. On March 9, 2022, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed the bill, sending the bond package to the 2022 ballot.[1]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in New Mexico
See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in New Mexico.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 New Mexico State Legislature, "Overview of HB 153," accessed February 15, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 New Mexico State Legislature, "Text of HB 153," accessed February 15, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Campaign Finance Information System, "Vote Yes for Kids," accessed April 14, 2022
- ↑ New Mexico Constitution, "Article IX, Section 8," accessed March 21, 2022
- ↑ New Mexico State Treasurer, "State Treasurer Financial Statements," accessed April 2, 2020
- ↑ New Mexico State Treasurer, "Financial Statements – FY 20," accessed June 30, 2020
- ↑ New Mexico State Treasurer, "Annual Report-2020," accessed March 22, 2022
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Population," accessed March 30, 2020
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 12.1," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voter Bill of Rights," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, “Voter Registration Information,” accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.2", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.8", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-4-5.7", accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Eligibility Requirements and FAQs," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ The State of New Mexico, "Voter Registration Form," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Voting," accessed June 24, 2025
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