Bill > SJR7

This Joint Resolution proposes to amend the New Mexico Constitution to implement significant changes to how elections are conducted, specifically for partisan offices. It would establish "nonpartisan open primary elections," meaning any registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, can vote in any party's primary, and all candidates would appear on a single ballot. The top five vote-getters from this primary would then advance to the general election. For the general election, the resolution mandates "ranked choice voting," also known as instant runoffs, where voters rank their preferred candidates. If no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters' next choices, a process that continues until a winner emerges with a majority. This aims to ensure that the ultimate winner has broader support. The resolution also clarifies rules for nonpartisan elections and municipal elections, generally stating that the candidate with the most votes wins unless a runoff is provided for.