{"id":2020,"date":"2025-06-27T11:25:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T17:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/new-mexico\/?post_type=work&p=2020"},"modified":"2025-08-11T13:58:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T19:58:22","slug":"semi-open-primaries-victory","status":"publish","type":"work","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/new-mexico\/work\/semi-open-primaries-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico has adopted Semi-Open Primaries!"},"template":"","class_list":["post-2020","work","type-work","status-publish","hentry","work_type-legislation"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"Semi-open Primaries (Senate Bill 16) passed the NM Legislature in the 2025 regular session and will be implemented in time for the June 2026 primary elections. \r\n\r\nThis legislation allows independent and minor-party voters to participate in publicly-funded primary elections by selecting a ballot of the major political party of their choice to vote on, without changing their registration! ","featured_image":21568,"work_type":181,"related_issues":[108,400],"location":34},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Primaries in New Mexico<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nBefore the passage of Senate Bill 16 (SB 16) in 2025, only members of major parties (Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian at the time) could participate in our state's primary elections. In order for Independent or Decline-to-State (DTS) voters to participate, they had to use the same-day voter registration system to change their party affiliation to receive the ballot of the party they chose.\r\n\r\nWith SB 16, over 330,000 independent and DTS voters will now be able to request the ballot of the party they choose and participate in primary elections. SB 16 has been implemented and will impact primary elections starting in June 2026. Common Cause New Mexico is proud to support SB 16 and the education efforts to come regarding semi-open primaries. Opening our primary elections makes our election process more inclusive and representative of ALL voters.\r\n

Why Open Primaries are Crucial to Election Access<\/h2>\r\n

Independent voters and DTS voters are quickly becoming the largest voting block in all of New Mexico, representing 22% of our state's entire electorate. Primary elections determine 80% of all elected seats due to uncompetitive districts and elections, but in 2024, New Mexico\u2019s primary turnout was only 17%. (Source: New Mexico Open Elections<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\r\nWith the implementation of semi-open primaries in our state, we hope that we'll see great changes to New Mexico's primaries!"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_statistics","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_statistics":{"title":"Who are New Mexico's Independent Voters?","statistics":[{"component_statistic":{"number":"35%","text":"Young voters (voters under the age of 35) are registered as independent more than either major party","source":"New Mexico Open Elections"}},{"component_statistic":{"number":"41% ","text":"Percentage of young Native voters are Independent or DTS - with 28% of all Native voters registered as Independent","source":"New Mexico Open Elections"}},{"component_statistic":{"number":"42%","text":"Percentage of Hispanic\/Latino voters overall are Independent or DTS - 32% of young Hispanice\/Latino voters are Independent","source":"New Mexico Open Elections"}}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_pull_quote","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_pull_quote":{"quote":"This will ensure the voices of hundreds of thousands of folks across New Mexico will be heard in our primary elections, and Common Cause is honored to be a part of a movement expanding access to voting when we see so many states trying to restrict it.","attribution":"Molly Swank, Executive Director of Common Cause New Mexico"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Coalition Working to Support Semi-Open Primaries in New Mexico<\/h2>\r\n