Types of ballot measures in New Mexico


Types of ballot measures
Initiated
• Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum
Legislative
• Legislative constitutional amendment
• Legislative state statute
• Legislative bond issue
• Advisory question
Other
• Automatic ballot referral
• Commission-referred measure
• Convention-referred amendment
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures.

In New Mexico, citizens can initiate veto referendums but do not have the power to initiate constitutional amendments or state statutes. The state Legislature can vote to refer measures to the ballot. This page provides an overview of the different types of ballot measures that can appear on state ballots in New Mexico.

The types of state ballot measures in New Mexico are:

Veto referendums
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
Legislatively referred bond measures
Constitutional convention questions

Citizen-initiated ballot measures

In New Mexico, citizens have the power to initiate veto referendums. The power was established with the adoption of the New Mexico Constitution in 1910.

Veto referendums

See also: Veto referendum

A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. This type of ballot measure is also called statute referendum, popular referendum, people's veto, or citizen's veto. There are 23 states that allow citizens to initiate veto referendums.

In New Mexico, the number of signatures required to place a veto referendum on the ballot is equal to 10% of the total number of votes cast in the previous general election. To suspend the law until voters address the veto referendum, signatures equal to 25% of the total number of votes cast in the previous general election are required. New Mexico also has a distribution requirement that requires 10% or 25% of the votes cast in the last general election, depending on the type of referendum petition, to be collected from registered voters in each of three-fourths (25) of the state's 33 counties.

For referendum petitions not seeking to suspend the law, signatures are due four months prior to the state's general election immediately following the legislative session in which the targeted law was approved. For referendum petitions seeking to suspend the law prior to the election, signatures are due no more than 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted law was approved. For both types of referendum, rejection of the targeted law requires a simple majority of votes cast on the measure and a minimum of 40% of the total votes cast at the election.

Legislative referrals

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the New Mexico State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 36 votes in the New Mexico House of Representatives and 22 votes in the New Mexico State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Legislatively referred bond measures

See also: Legislatively referred bond measure

In New Mexico, general obligation bonds require voter approval.

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the New Mexico State Legislature to place a bond issue on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 36 votes in the New Mexico House of Representatives and 22 votes in the New Mexico State Senate, assuming no vacancies. State bond issues require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. The governor can use a partial veto to remove projects from bond legislation.

Constitutional convention questions

See also: Constitutional convention question

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session of the state legislature to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. A convention is held if the question receives a simple majority of the vote. Voters must also ratify amendments proposed by the convention.

Other types of ballot measures

Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:

Types of state ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measure

• Initiated constitutional amendment

• Direct initiated constitutional amendment

• Indirect initiated constitutional amendment

• Initiated state statute

• Direct initiated state statute

• Indirect initiated state statute

• Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute

• Veto referendum

• Statute affirmation (Nevada)

Legislatively referred ballot measure