Bill > HB98

This bill proposes the following key provisions: 1. The Local Election Act would establish a single election day and uniform processes for certain local government elections in New Mexico. It would require that any ballot measure elections held at times other than regular local elections be conducted by mailed ballot, and it would require special statewide ballot question elections to be conducted by mailed ballot. The bill would prohibit advisory questions on the ballot. 2. The bill would provide for recall elections for commission-manager municipalities. It would also update the circumstances that cause a vacancy in local office. 3. The bill would name the existing "Special Election Act" as Chapter 1, Article 24 NMSA 1978. It would repeal the School Election Law, the Mail Ballot Election Act, the Municipal Election Code, and other conflicting provisions of law, and make conforming amendments to other sections of law. 4. The bill would establish a "local election fund" in the state treasury to reimburse counties for the costs of conducting and administering regular local elections, pay the administrative costs of the Secretary of State for administering elections under the Local Election Act, and carry out other provisions of the Act. The fund would be financed through annual assessments on local governments whose governing bodies are elected in the regular local election. 5. The bill would establish a separate municipal officer election day on the first Tuesday in March of even-numbered years, with exceptions for home rule municipalities implementing certain voter identification requirements. It would allow municipalities to opt in to having their municipal officers elected in the regular local election instead. Overall, the bill aims to establish more uniform processes and timing for local elections in New Mexico.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislation.aspx?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=98&year=18