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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact theirstate election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in New Mexico, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in New Mexico. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Seestate election laws

Year-specific filing information

2026

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 U.S. Congress elections andNew Mexico elections, 2026

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in New Mexico in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Mexico, clickhere.

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in New Mexico in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Mexico, clickhere.

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in New Mexico in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Mexico, clickhere.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for New Mexico House of Representatives candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Mexico, clickhere.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Process to become a candidate

See statutes:Article 8 of the New Mexico Code

A candidate in New Mexico may run with an officially recognized political party, as an independent or as a write-in.

For major party candidates

A major party candidate files for office by submitting a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition to the proper filing official. A candidate must file the nominating petition and declaration of candidacy at the same time. This paperwork must be filed in person by the candidate between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the designated day for filing. The candidate must be affiliated with the political party with which he or she is running. Affiliation with that political party must be made before the date of thesecretary of state's proclamation for the primary election.^[4][5]

A candidate may seek a "pre-primary convention designation" before the primary election. A pre-primary convention designation guarantees a candidate a place on the primary election ballot. Every candidate receiving at least 20 percent of the vote at the party convention will be certified to theNew Mexico Secretary of State as a convention-designated nominee for that office by the political party.^[6][7]

According to the New Mexico Statutes, the nominating petition for a pre-primary convention designation candidate must be signed "by a number of voters equal to at least 2 percent of the total vote of the candidate's party in the state or congressional district, or the following number of voters, whichever is greater: for statewide offices, 230 voters; and for congressional candidates, 77 voters."^[8]

A candidate who seeks but fails to receive a pre-primary convention designation may collect additional signatures totaling at least "4 percent of the total vote of the candidate's party in the state or congressional district, whichever applies to the office the candidate seeks." The candidate is required to file a new declaration of candidacy and the additional nominating petition for the office for which the candidate failed to receive a pre-primary designation. The post-convention declaration of candidacy and nominating petition must be filed with theNew Mexico Secretary of State either 10 days following the date of the pre-primary convention at which the candidate failed to receive the designation, or on the date all declarations of candidacy and additional nominating petitions are due, whichever is later.^[9]

For minor party candidates

The selection method for minor party candidates varies according to the rules of the specific party. Broadly speaking, the following requirements apply:^[10]

1. The chair and secretary of the state political convention must certify to theNew Mexico Secretary of State the names of their party's nominees for federal, statewide, and state legislative offices.^[11]
2. The names certified to theNew Mexico Secretary of State must be filed on the 21st day following the primary election and must be accompanied by a petition containing the signatures of at least 1 percent of the total number of the votes cast at the last preceding general election for the office ofgovernor.^[12]
3. The petition must contain a statement affirming that the voters signing the petition are residents ofNew Mexico and the district, county, or area to be represented by the office being sought.^[13]

For independent candidates

An independent candidate files for office by submitting a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition to the proper filing official. Candidates must file nominating petitions at the time of filing their declarations of candidacy.^[14]

The petition for an independent candidate for theUnited States Senate or any other statewide office must be signed by at least 2 percent of the total number of votes cast forgovernor in the previous general election. The petition for an independent candidate for theUnited States House of Representatives must be signed by at least 2 percent of the total number of votes cast forgovernor in the previous general election in that particular congressional district. The petition for an independent candidate for thestate legislature must be signed by at least 2 percent of the total number of votes cast forgovernor in the respective legislative district.^[15]Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive titleCite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title

All requisite paperwork must be filed with the proper filing official before 5:00 p.m. on the 23rd day following the primary election.^[16]

For write-in candidates in the primary election

A write-in candidate may only seek the nomination of the party with which he or she is affiliated. The candidate must qualify to be a candidate for the political party whose nomination he or she seeks.^[17]

The candidate must file with the proper filing official a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. The declaration must be filed before 5:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday in March in the year of the election.^[18]

For write-in candidates in the general election

A write-in candidate in a general election must file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the proper filing official no later than the 21st day after the primary election.^[19]

No person can run as a write-in candidate in the general election if he or she was a candidate in the primary election immediately preceding the general election.^[20]

No unopposed write-in candidate can have an election certified unless the candidate receives votes equal to at least 1 percent of the total number of votes cast in the electoral district forgovernor in the last preceding general election in which a governor was elected.^[21]

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process in order to have their names printed on the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining topetitions andcirculators.

Objections

InNew Mexico, within 10 days after a candidate files a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition, any voter may file a court challenge. The district court is required to hear the matter within 10 days after it is filed by the voter. Any notice of appeal must be filed with the state supreme court within five days after the decision of the district court.^[22][23]

The grounds on which petition signatures may be challenged include the following.

• The voter is not a registered member of the candidate's political party 10 days prior to the filing of the nominating petition.
• The voter failed to provide information required by the nominating petition.
• The voter is not a voter of the state, district, county, or area to be represented by the office for which the person seeking the nomination is a candidate.
• The voter has signed more than one petition for the same office where only one candidate is to be elected for such office (if more than one candidate is to be elected to an office, the voter may sign only the number of nominating petitions equal to the number of candidates to be elected to that office).
• The voter is not the person whose name appears on the nominating petition.

To avoid risking disqualification through failure to file a sufficient number of qualifying signatures, the candidate and/or his or her agents may wish to consult voting lists in order to verify that the petitions contain qualified signatures. Additionally, candidates may wish to collect more signatures in order to avoid ballot disqualification if the signatures are rejected by a district court.

Contact information

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in New Mexico can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

New Mexico County Clerks

Click here for a list

New Mexico Secretary of State: Elections Division

325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501-4401

Phone: 505-827-3600

Email:elections@sos.nm.gov

Website:https://www.sos.nm.gov

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website:https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

State executives

See also:State executives with term limits andStates with gubernatorial term limits

The state executive term limits inNew Mexico are as follows:

• Thegovernor may serve a total of two terms.
• Thelieutenant governor must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after two consecutive terms.
• Thesecretary of state must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after two consecutive terms.
• Theattorney general must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after two consecutive terms.
• Thetreasurer must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after two consecutive terms.
• Theauditor must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after two consecutive terms.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on New Mexico state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also:List of United States Representatives from New Mexico andList of United States Senators from New Mexico

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation fromNew Mexico.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature ofNew Mexico.

New Mexico Senate

New Mexico House of Representatives

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in New Mexico. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

TheBallot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from ourElection Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 21, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 14, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 7, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 31, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 24, 2025

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.

See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in New Mexico
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in New Mexico
• New Mexico elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in New Mexico
• Counties in New Mexico
• List of United States Representatives from New Mexico
• List of United States Senators from New Mexico
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• New Mexico Secretary of State
• Federal Election Commission
• New Mexico Secretary of State, "How to Become a Candidate"
• Chapter 1: Elections, New Mexico Statutes

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Redistricting policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Recount laws Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Electoral systems Single-winner system •Multi-winner system •Block voting system •Plurality voting system •Majority voting system •Top-two primary •Blanket primary •Open primary •Closed primary •Semi-closed primary •Top-four primary •Ranked-choice voting (RCV) •STAR voting •Approval voting •Fusion voting