New Mexico State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto has introduced SB 125, to move the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties from April to the day after the primary, which is the first week in June. Thanks to Carol Miller for this news.
New Mexico State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto has introduced SB 125, to move the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties from April to the day after the primary, which is the first week in June. Thanks to Carol Miller for this news.
If the bill passes, will it affect the 2014 election? I suspect the Sec’y of State and some others who’ve worked hard to keep the NM Constitution Party off the ballot would put up roadblocks – that’d mean lawsuits I suppose.
Yes, if the bill passes, it will take effect immediately. And even if it doesn’t, since the old deadline has been held unconstitutional, the state can’t enforce the April deadline. If the bill fails, the practical deadline will be even later than June. It will be like Ohio, which had its ballot access law declared unconstitutional in 2006. The legislature refused to do anything about it until late 2013, so Ohio has had to put various minor parties on the ballot ever since 2008 with no petition at all.