On the evening of Thursday, March 7, New Mexico HB 407 passed the House. Among many other provisions, it lowers the petition requirement for independent candidates from 3% of the last gubernatorial vote, to 2%. It lowers the independent presidential petition to one-half of 1%, although that provision is not worded well.

If the bill is signed into law, Alabama will be the only state that requires statewide non-presidential independent candidates to complete a petition greater than 2% of the last vote.