New Mexico’s 2026 legislative session began today, January 20th, and is just 30 days long — it’s what many consider to be a “budgetary” year with room only for legislation related to appropriations and other similar constitutional amendments.  

Common Cause New Mexico isn’t letting a short session stop progress on our democracy. This year, we’ll be supporting our People’s Lobby agenda by advocating for New Mexico to secure funding for elections, modernize its legislature, and fight for equitable redistricting standards and practices.  

Funding New Mexico’s Elections: With a heavy focus on the budget, securing necessary funding for election administration and the Office of the Secretary of State is at the forefront of this legislative session. This year is a major election year, which makes it even more important that our state’s election system is properly funded. 

In 2025, funding for the Secretary of State’s office was cut by over $7 million, risking the sustainability of secure and accessible elections. With election costs rising and federal funding currently withheld, Common Cause New Mexico is working on behalf of the people to ensure these cuts are addressed so every voter has equal access to the ballot. 

Modernizing the Legislature: New Mexico is the only state left in the nation that doesn’t pay its legislators, and we’ve been leading the charge for years to compensate them for their work.  

Lack of pay is a massive obstacle for everyday people who want to run for office to represent their communities. Currently, legislators must balance earning enough income to support themselves and their families with the demands of being a full-time legislator — or be independently wealthy enough to not have to work.  

Compared to other states, legislators in New Mexico are left with less time and resources to research, review, draft, debate, and pass meaningful legislation that would improve the lives of New Mexicans. As a result, progress is slow, legislators are overworked and are sometimes forced to step down because they can no longer afford to serve.  

Ultimately, this leads to less representative elections and an outsized influence of money in the Roundhouse. House Joint Resolution 5 would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2028, allowing voters to decide if their representatives should get paid. 

Promoting Fair Redistricting: Throughout 2025, we saw states across the nation abuse mid-decade redistricting to redraw political lines to unfairly favor republicans under pressure from the Trump administration. During this time, Common Cause New Mexico took part in a redistricting taskforce alongside local pro-democracy advocates, ally organizations, and legislative proponents focused on promoting fair redistricting in the Land of Enchantment.  

We’re partnering with these groups on two memorials that would push the New Mexico Legislature to formally call on our congressional leaders to pass legislation banning mid-decade redistricting and establishing uniform redistricting criteria and standards. 

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