On April 3, New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham signed HB 407, the omnibus election law bill that is approximately 500 pages long. Included in the bill is a provision easing the number of signatures for independent candidates. Under the old law, statewide independent candidates, including independent presidential candidates, needed 20,898 signatures. Under the new law, presidential independents need 3,483 signatures. Independents for other statewide office need 13,932 signatures. The new formula is one-half of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote for presidential independents, and 2% of the last gubernatorial vote for independents for other office.

Alabama and Montana are now the only states in which the statewide independent petition is greater than 2% of the last gubernatorial vote. The Montana requirement for presidential independents is 5,000, but for other statewide office it is 5% of the winner’s vote for that same office, which usually amounts to at least 2.7% of the total vote. Alabama presidential independents need 5,000, but other independent candidates need 3% of the last gubernatorial vote.

The Press-Republican, daily newspaper in Plattsburgh, New York, here calls for general election presidential debates with more than just two candidates.

On April 3, New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham signed HB 55, the National Popular Vote Plan bill. That makes three states that have joined the pact this year. The others are Colorado and Delaware. There is also some reason to believe that Oregon and Nevada will also pass the bills this year.