On February 18, New Mexico bill SB 403 passed the Rules Committee and now goes to the Judiciary Committee. It is an omnibus election law bill with a few ballot access improvements. It lowers the number of signatures needed for a new or previously unqualified party to get on the ballot, from one-half of 1% of the last vote cast, to one-half of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote. This makes the petition easier in mid-term years, because presidential elections have a higher voter turnout.

The bill also moves the independent candidate petition deadline from early June to late June.