New Mexico Nominating Conventions for Candidates Referendum (1950)
| New Mexico Nominating Conventions for Candidates Referendum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 7, 1950 | |
| Topic Elections and campaigns | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Referendum | Origin Citizens |
The New Mexico Nominating Conventions for Candidates Referendum was on the November 7, 1950, ballot in New Mexico as a veto referendum. The ballot measure was approved, meaning the law was upheld.
The veto referendum upheld a law that required presidential electors, congressional candidates, and statewide office to receive 25 percent of the vote of delegates at a party's nominating convention to appear on the party's primary ballot.[1]
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, electors who voted on the veto referendum rejected the targeted law in a vote of four-to-one. However, the state constitution required the veto referendum's repeal option to receive at least 40 percent of the total votes cast at the election. Turnout for the veto referendum was too low for the vote to repeal the targeted law.[2]
The ballot measure was the second veto referendum to appear on a statewide ballot in New Mexico.
Election results
Ballotpedia did not locate election results for this ballot measure. You can submit election results to Ballotpedia at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Support for repeal of targeted law
Attorney General Joe L. Martinez (D) advocated for repealing the targeted law. He said the law "favors the election of candidates by political bigwigs in each party." He added, "If the pre-primary law goes into effect such a situation can arise where the political leaders at the conventions will hand-pick only one late and force it down the throat of the voting public."[3]
Path to the ballot
Signatures were collected to place the veto referendum on the ballot. The veto referendum targeted a bill that the New Mexico State Legislature approved in 1949. Dennis Chávez, Jr., son of U.S. Sen. Dennis Chávez (D), headed the campaign behind the veto referendum.[3]
See also
- New Mexico 1950 ballot measures
- 1950 ballot measures
- List of New Mexico ballot measures
- List of veto referendums
Footnotes
 |
State of New Mexico Santa Fe (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
