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New Mexico Secretary of State election, 2018

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2022
2016
New Mexico Secretary of State
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline:March 13, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Maggie Toulouse Oliver (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in New Mexico
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
New Mexico
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Auditor
Public lands commissioner
Public education commissioner
Public regulation commissioner

New Mexico held an election forsecretary of state onNovember 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 13, 2018.

Democratic PartyFor more information about the Democratic primary,click here.
Republican PartyFor more information about the Republican primary,click here.
For more information about secretary of state elections in 2018,click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, thesecretary of state of New Mexico wasMaggie Toulouse Oliver (D), who was first elected in a special election in2016. Oliver announced on June 20, 2017, that she would seek election to a full four-year term in 2018.
  • In 2018,New Mexico was underdivided government. It had held this status sinceGov.Susana Martinez (R) took office in 2011. New Mexico was also underdivided triplex control.
  • In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016,New Mexico was won by theDemocratic candidate in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016, and by theRepublican candidate in 2004. The widest margin of victory wasBarack Obama's 15 percent margin in 2008, while the narrowest wasAl Gore's 0.06 percent margin in 2000.

  • Candidates and election results

    General election

    General election for New Mexico Secretary of State

    IncumbentMaggie Toulouse Oliver defeatedGavin Clarkson andGinger Grider in the general election for New Mexico Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Maggie Toulouse Oliver
    Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D)
     
    57.8
     
    399,134
    Image of Gavin Clarkson
    Gavin Clarkson (R)
     
    37.2
     
    257,306
    Image of Ginger Grider
    Ginger Grider (L)
     
    5.0
     
    34,527

    Ballotpedia Logo

    Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

    Total votes: 690,967
    (100.00% precincts reporting)
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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    Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

    Democratic primary election

    Democratic primary for New Mexico Secretary of State

    IncumbentMaggie Toulouse Oliver advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico Secretary of State on June 5, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Maggie Toulouse Oliver
    Maggie Toulouse Oliver
     
    100.0
     
    148,545

    Ballotpedia Logo

    Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

    Total votes: 148,545
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    Republican primary election

    Republican primary for New Mexico Secretary of State

    JoHanna Cox advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico Secretary of State on June 5, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    JoHanna Cox
     
    100.0
     
    67,041

    Ballotpedia Logo

    There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

    Total votes: 67,041
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    Libertarian primary election

    Libertarian primary for New Mexico Secretary of State

    Sandra Jeff advanced from the Libertarian primary for New Mexico Secretary of State on June 5, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Sandra Jeff
     
    100.0
     
    604

    Ballotpedia Logo

    There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

    Total votes: 604
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of state and federal positions in New Mexico heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    • Following the2014 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in New Mexico.
    • Democrats held two of the state's three U.S. House seats whileRepublicans held the third.

    State executives

    • As of September 2018, Democrats held 15 of 27state executive offices. Republicans held six, Libertarians held one, and the remaining five were held by nonpartisan officials.
    • The governor of New Mexico was RepublicanSusana Martinez. Martinez won office in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.

    State legislature

    Trifecta status

    2018 elections

    See also:New Mexico elections, 2018

    New Mexico held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for New Mexico
     New MexicoU.S.
    Total population:2,080,328316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):121,2983,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:73.2%73.6%
    Black/African American:2.1%12.6%
    Asian:1.4%5.1%
    Native American:9.1%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:3.3%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:47.4%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:84.2%86.7%
    College graduation rate:26.3%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$44,963$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:24.7%11.3%
    Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Mexico.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere.

    As of July 2016, New Mexico's three largest cities were Albuquerque (pop. est. 560,000), Las Cruces (pop. est. 100,000), and Rio Rancho (pop. est. 96,000).[1]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in New Mexico from 2000 to 2016. All data comes fromNew Mexico Secretary of State.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in New Mexico every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), New Mexico 2000-2016
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2016Democratic PartyHillary Clinton48.3%Republican PartyDonald Trump40.0%8.3%
    2012Democratic PartyBarack Obama53.0%Republican PartyMitt Romney42.8%10.2%
    2008Democratic PartyBarack Obama56.9%Republican PartyJohn McCain41.8%15.1%
    2004Republican PartyGeorge W. Bush49.8%Democratic PartyJohn Kerry49.1%0.7%
    2000Democratic PartyAl Gore47.9%Republican PartyGeorge W. Bush47.9%0.0%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results ofU.S. Senate races in New Mexico from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), New Mexico 2000-2014
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2014Democratic PartyTom Udall55.6%Republican Party Allan Weh44.4%11.2%
    2012Democratic PartyMartin Heinrich51.0%Republican PartyHeather Wilson45.3%5.7%
    2008Democratic PartyTom Udall61.3%Republican PartySteve Pearce38.7%22.6%
    2006Democratic PartyJeff Bingaman70.6%Republican Party Allen McCulloch29.3%41.3%
    2002Republican Party Pete Domenici65.0%Democratic Party Gloria Tristani35.0%30.0%
    2000Democratic PartyJeff Bingaman62.7%Republican Party Bill Redmond37.3%25.4%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in New Mexico.

    Election results (Governor), New Mexico 2000-2016
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2014Republican PartySusana Martinez57.3%Democratic PartyGary King42.7%14.6%
    2010Republican PartySusana Martinez53.3%Democratic PartyDiane Denish46.5%6.8%
    2006Democratic PartyBill Richardson68.8%Republican Party John Dendahl31.2%37.6%
    2002Democratic PartyBill Richardson55.5%Republican PartyJohn Sanchez39.0%16.5%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent New Mexico in theU.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, New Mexico 2000-2016
    YearRepublicansRepublicans (%)DemocratsDemocrats (%)Balance of power
    2016Republican Party133.3%Democratic Party266.7%D+1
    2014Republican Party133.3%Democratic Party266.7%D+1
    2012Republican Party133.3%Democratic Party266.7%D+1
    2010Republican Party133.3%Democratic Party266.7%D+1
    2008Republican Party00.0%Democratic Party3100.0%D+3
    2006Republican Party266.7%Democratic Party133.3%R+1
    2004Republican Party266.7%Democratic Party133.3%R+1
    2002Republican Party266.7%Democratic Party133.3%R+1
    2000Republican Party266.7%Democratic Party133.3%R+1

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    Astate government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    New Mexico Party Control: 1992-2025
    Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year9293949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526
    GovernorDDDRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDD
    SenateDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
    HouseDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDRRDDDDDDDDDD


    Pivot Counties

    See also:Pivot Counties by state

    Three of 33 New Mexico counties—9 percent—arePivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and forDonald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    CountyTrump margin of victory in 2016Obama margin of victory in 2012Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Colfax County, New Mexico8.55%2.24%10.73%
    Hidalgo County, New Mexico6.73%4.96%2.92%
    Valencia County, New Mexico8.60%2.47%7.72%

    In the 2016 presidential election,Hillary Clinton (D) won New Mexico with 48.3 percent of the vote.Donald Trump (R) received 40 percent. In presidential elections between 1912 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic 56 percent of the time and Republican 44 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic four times. The state voted Republican in 2004.[2]

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in New Mexico. Click[show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled byDaily Kos.[3][4]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 29.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 26.7 points. Clinton won nine districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 24.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 27 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.
    2016 presidential results by state House district
    DistrictObamaRomney2012 MarginClintonTrump2016 MarginParty Control
    120.96%75.79%R+54.818.04%72.51%R+54.5R
    227.47%69.17%R+41.721.96%67.15%R+45.2R
    322.91%73.48%R+50.617.17%73.66%R+56.5R
    451.61%45.33%D+6.342.79%42.74%D+0.1R
    570.17%26.83%D+43.360.70%24.05%D+36.6D
    670.21%27.48%D+42.758.64%28.48%D+30.2D
    750.49%44.11%D+6.440.92%45.72%R+4.8R
    846.36%48.66%R+2.337.51%49.60%R+12.1R
    971.00%26.44%D+44.661.37%24.12%D+37.2D
    1065.21%30.46%D+34.856.93%31.21%D+25.7D
    1174.16%20.74%D+53.469.71%18.46%D+51.2D
    1268.74%26.63%D+42.161.46%27.69%D+33.8D
    1367.68%27.95%D+39.759.39%27.06%D+32.3D
    1475.95%20.09%D+55.965.37%23.23%D+42.1D
    1549.95%45.35%D+4.648.43%38.84%D+9.6R
    1660.23%35.40%D+24.854.22%33.06%D+21.2D
    1762.55%32.61%D+29.957.98%29.63%D+28.3D
    1874.99%17.57%D+57.473.69%13.64%D+60.1D
    1971.55%22.91%D+48.667.73%20.05%D+47.7D
    2046.26%48.57%R+2.345.05%41.13%D+3.9R
    2161.08%33.19%D+27.953.96%31.12%D+22.8D
    2242.30%51.77%R+9.540.33%46.60%R+6.3R
    2350.61%44.70%D+5.947.86%39.71%D+8.1D
    2452.10%42.11%D+1047.19%36.79%D+10.4D
    2560.90%33.31%D+27.657.03%28.81%D+28.2D
    2662.57%33.00%D+29.655.12%32.19%D+22.9D
    2743.63%51.56%R+7.943.86%42.63%D+1.2R
    2843.36%51.02%R+7.743.31%42.27%D+1R
    2948.16%47.12%D+145.04%41.24%D+3.8R
    3050.06%44.08%D+647.75%37.01%D+10.7R
    3138.29%57.90%R+19.641.78%45.91%R+4.1R
    3248.95%47.93%D+143.90%47.34%R+3.4D
    3357.44%38.34%D+19.155.59%32.01%D+23.6D
    3467.75%30.86%D+36.964.65%28.49%D+36.2D
    3558.06%38.71%D+19.354.23%34.26%D+20D
    3653.29%43.51%D+9.849.35%39.28%D+10.1D
    3750.09%46.98%D+3.149.32%39.69%D+9.6D
    3845.97%50.34%R+4.439.87%49.90%R+10R
    3953.53%43.60%D+9.948.95%41.86%D+7.1D
    4069.65%27.03%D+42.660.30%28.99%D+31.3D
    4174.26%22.15%D+52.164.48%23.77%D+40.7D
    4277.86%18.20%D+59.769.70%18.34%D+51.4D
    4351.55%42.52%D+951.63%31.90%D+19.7D
    4442.34%53.33%R+1138.87%48.14%R+9.3R
    4575.50%20.49%D+5571.68%19.09%D+52.6D
    4676.11%19.64%D+56.572.91%17.80%D+55.1D
    4775.23%21.12%D+54.175.51%16.95%D+58.6D
    4879.43%16.14%D+63.376.07%15.07%D+61D
    4948.75%46.04%D+2.739.56%48.03%R+8.5R
    5054.56%40.49%D+14.149.33%40.67%D+8.7D
    5134.24%62.18%R+27.929.61%60.13%R+30.5R
    5262.23%35.17%D+27.162.07%29.79%D+32.3D
    5348.82%48.52%D+0.348.39%41.93%D+6.5R
    5432.19%64.92%R+32.725.69%66.62%R+40.9R
    5529.64%67.48%R+37.824.35%67.91%R+43.6R
    5634.58%61.37%R+26.829.21%61.10%R+31.9R
    5745.25%50.34%R+5.139.99%46.81%R+6.8R
    5843.98%52.91%R+8.936.58%53.06%R+16.5R
    5929.23%67.78%R+38.523.93%67.65%R+43.7R
    6042.37%52.23%R+9.938.93%47.35%R+8.4R
    6132.56%65.02%R+32.529.95%62.63%R+32.7R
    6219.59%78.35%R+58.818.39%74.53%R+56.1R
    6349.61%47.24%D+2.436.71%51.26%R+14.6D
    6424.47%72.92%R+48.520.65%70.74%R+50.1R
    6579.83%16.71%D+63.167.22%16.91%D+50.3D
    6624.60%72.24%R+47.621.08%69.94%R+48.9R
    6737.15%59.71%R+22.627.94%62.43%R+34.5R
    6847.01%48.56%R+1.543.56%42.91%D+0.7R
    6968.52%28.07%D+40.456.03%29.07%D+27D
    7069.54%26.69%D+42.960.23%28.91%D+31.3D
    Total52.99%42.84%D+10.148.26%40.04%D+8.2-
    Source:Daily Kos


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    See also

    New Mexico government:

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    External links

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