Shawn Griffiths
SANTA FE, N.M. - It has been a long road for reformers in New Mexico, but the legislature has passed a bill that would open state primary elections to a quarter of the state's voting population registered unaffiliated of a political party.
SB 16, which opens primary elections to more than 330,000 independent voters (25% of the electorate), cleared the Senate back in February and right before adjournment of the 2025 legislative session the House approved the bill, 36-33.
"Opening primary elections by allowing voters registered as independent or unaffiliated to participate in taxpayer-funded elections improves voting fairness and, in turn, democracy,” said State Sen. Majority Leader Peter Wirth.
“I’m glad to have sponsored the bill bringing this change to New Mexico. And as evidenced by the votes on the senate floor, it’s an update that both major parties can get behind.”
Along with Wirth's name on the bill, there was also Sen. Natalie Figueroa -- who introduced the legislation in the 2025 session, and Reps. Kathleen Cates, Cristina Parajón, and Angelica Rubio.
SB 16's passage represents a tremendous victory for reformers in the state, especially New Mexico Open Elections, which has worked with state legislators since 2015 to get open primary legislation passed.
It hasn't been easy. While support has gradually shifted in favor of open primary reform, the legislature is only in session for a short window -- 60 days in odd-numbered years and 30 days in even-numbered years.
This means reformers could only pursue legislation every other year as lawmakers don't take up matters they deem non-essential in the short session. New Mexico also does not have a citizen initiative process.
New Mexico Open Elections spearheaded a coalition of supporters along with New Mexico Voters First that included NM Native Vote, Common Cause New Mexico, Conservation Voters New Mexico, and the Veterans and Military Families Caucus.
“We have dedicated significant time and effort to building a strong coalition, engaging legislators, and mobilizing independent voters across New Mexico,” said New Mexico Voters First Executive Director Sila Avcil.
“This progress would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our advocates. New Mexico deserves fair and representative elections, and I am honored to be part of this movement to pass SB 16.”
If the governor signs the bill into law, voters registered outside of a political party will have access to a critical stage of the elections process.
One constant that remains true about New Mexico elections is that about half of the state's legislative seats go uncontested in the general election each election cycle, meaning the winner is outright chosen in the majority party's primary.
This, however, is not where it ends.
Unite America, a group that invests in nonpartisan election reform, found that 83% of New Mexico’s state house races in 2024 were effectively decided in the primaries due to a lack of competitiveness in the districts.
Further, only 14% of state voters cast meaningful votes in the 2024 cycle. All of this data represents a system in which independent voters are denied a meaningful voice in the electoral process.
Semi-open primaries will give independent voters the ability to cast votes in meaningful elections that are paid for by taxpayers.
A special thanks to Ross Sherman at Unite America for providing updates on this story.