On November 4, the only minor party candidate in the state of New Mexico for any partisan office was Michael E. Lunnon, the Constitution Party nominee for Sheriff of McKinley County. Here is a link to the unofficial election returns from the Secretary of State’s web page. The results are: Democrat Ronald R. Silversmith 9,682; Constitution Party nominee Lunnon 2,163; Republican Clayton E. Garcia 2,146.
Lunnon was probably helped by the fact that New Mexico no longer has a straight-ticket device on the ballot.
McKinley County is in northwest New Mexico. The county seat is Gallup. The county is a stronghold for the Democratic Party.
New Mexico had fewer minor party nominees on the ballot in this month’s election than any other state. Also, during the entire period 2001-2014, New Mexico and North Dakota were tied for having the fewest independent and minor party candidates on the ballot. The November 1, 2014 printed Ballot Access News has a chart which shows this data for each state.
The Libertarian and Independent American Parties were and are on the ballot in New Mexico, but neither of them ran any nominees in 2014. This is mostly because New Mexico forces ballot-qualified minor parties to submit a petition of 1% of the last vote cast for all its nominees. New Mexico is the only state that requires the nominees of any qualified party to submit a petition to appear on the November ballot. The policy lacks logic.
McKinley County is small enough that Lunnon was able to run radio ads, including one in either Zuni or Navaho.
The Democratic primary was quite unusual. The incumbent sheriff was running for re-election, but was challenged by a former sheriff, as well as 4 others. The Democratic nominee received about 24% of the vote, and defeated both the incumbent sheriff and the former sheriff. The Republican nominee would not have advanced under a Top 5 system.
It is possible that there was some dissension over the result of the primary, or simply voters in an isolated area voting for the person, because they knew who that person was.
“New Mexico is the only state that requires the nominees of any qualified party to submit a petition to appear on the November ballot. The policy lacks logic.”
Are you saying, Richard, the candidate must get an additional 1% of the registered voters for his/her candidacy despite that his/her 3rd party has already obtained ballot access?
If this is the policy, it not only lacks logic, but it just another stumbling block the major party bosses will throw in the way of serious 3rd party and Independent candidates.
They don’t want them in the process, and will do whatever is necessary to discourage them.
Still, I give my congratulations to Mr. Lunnon, and would hope he might help me convince the leaders of this party that their proper name is Consitituion(al) Party.
In my previous reply, I wrote, “They don’t want them in the process, and will do whatever is necessary to discourage them.”
I know this website is not supposed to be used for any religious or spiritual advocacy. But I have to say that the reason, as I expressed in my reply of above, is that it is the evil heart of those who do not want us to participate in the political process is why they hold such views. They may give “excuses” but these “excuses” are formed from the evil within their hearts. Otherwise, they would have no objections.