New Mexico 2026 ballot measures
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As of February 15, 2026, one statewide ballot measure was certified for the ballot in New Mexico for November 3, 2026.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliminate Governor’s Pocket Veto and Require Veto Explanations Amendment | State executive powers | Require bills to become law if the governor does not sign or veto them within the required timeframe, eliminating the governor's pocket veto |
Potential measures
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Board of Regents Amendment (2026) | Higher education governance | Make changes to the Board of Regents, including establishing nominating committees to provide lists of candidates, provide that student members are appointed from a list provided by student governing body, and prohibit non-student members from changing political party six months preceding appointment | |
| New Mexico Even-Numbered Year Legislative Sessions Amendment (2026) | Legislature; Legislative processes | Provide that state legislature may consider all bills in even-numbered years; provide for veto overrides from regular, special, or extraordinary legislative session within a two year period | |
| New Mexico School Elections No Longer Required to be Separate from Partisan Elections Amendment (2026) | Local government | No longer require school elections to be separate from partisan elections |
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
- See also: List of New Mexico ballot measures
New Mexico statewide ballot measures
In New Mexico, a total of 133 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1993 and 2024. Voters approved 111 ballot measures, and 22 ballot measures were defeated.
| New Mexico statewide ballot measures, 1993-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Annual average | Annual minimum | Annual maximum | Approved | Defeated | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
Not on the ballot
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Appointed State Board of Education Amendment (2026) | Public education governance | Provide for an appointed state board of education and appointed superintendent | |
| New Mexico Changes to Legislative Session Length and Proceedings Amendment (2026) | Legislature | Authorize the New Mexico State Legislature to meet each year for up to 45 days, allowed any bills to be considered during even-numbered year sessions, and changed the start date for legislative sessions from the third Tuesday in January to the second Tuesday in January | |
| New Mexico Establish Fiduciary Duties of Board of Regents and Removal Process Amendment (2026) | Higher education governance | Establish the fiduciary duties of board of regents and authorized the attorney general or a majority of the board of regents to remove a member | |
| New Mexico Remove Requirement that School Board Elections Be Held Separate from Partisan Elections Amendment (2026) | Public education governance | Remove the requirement that elections for school boards be administered at a different time than partisan elections |
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...
Footnotes
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
See also
- 2026 ballot measures
- List of New Mexico ballot measures
- Campaign finance requirements for New Mexico ballot measures
