Bill > SJR3

This Joint Resolution proposes an amendment to New Mexico's constitution to change how judges are selected and retained, moving away from partisan elections where candidates are affiliated with political parties. Instead, it introduces a nonpartisan election process for initial selection, meaning candidates would not run as Democrats or Republicans. After being elected through this nonpartisan process, judges would then face a nonpartisan retention election, where voters decide whether to keep them in office based on their performance, requiring at least 57% of the vote to be retained. The frequency of these retention elections varies by judicial level: Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges every eight years, District Court judges every six years, and Metropolitan Court judges every four years. Importantly, judges already in office who were elected in partisan elections before this amendment is adopted will be considered to have met the initial nonpartisan election requirement and will be eligible for retention elections at the end of their current terms. This proposed amendment will be put to a vote of the people at the next general election.