New Mexico Representative Moe Maestas (D-Albuquerque) has introduced HJM 19. It calls on the state legislature to study ballot access. New Mexico has some of the worst ballot access laws in the nation. It is the only state that requires the nominees of qualified political parties to submit a petition in order to be on the November ballot. This law only affects qualified minor parties (which nominate by convention), not qualified major parties. After a candidate receives a minor party nomination, he or she is then required to submit a petition of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote. This is not logical, because if a party has shown that it has a modicum of voter support, and the party supports the nominee, then the nominee has already shown that he or she has support.

New Mexico also has the most stringent independent presidential petition in the nation, 3% of the last gubernatorial vote. No other state requires an independent presidential candidate to submit a petition greater than 2% of the last vote. Thanks to Bob Perls for the news about HJM 19.