NM Senate Leaders Pre-File Bill to Restore Petition Signature Option for Candidates

The pre-filing of a bill to restore the petition signature option for statewide and federal candidates to get on the ballot if they don't get 20% of the vote at party pre-primary conventions was just announced in the press release below. Don Wiviott, a Democratic candidate for Congress in NM-03, filed a lawsuit yesterday asking the Santa Fe District Court to determine whether the 20% requirement, passed unanimously into law last legislative session as part of a larger bill, is constitutional.

Press Release: Santa Fe, NM – Senate Majority Leader Michael S. Sanchez (D-Valencia County) announced that on December 17, 2007 he and Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle pre-filed Senate Bill 1, Primary Ballot Access for Certain Candidates. The bill allows candidates for statewide offices to be placed on primary ballots by petition of signatures. During last year’s legislative session that provision was removed in House Bill 1156 thereby requiring candidates to receive at least 20% of preprimary convention delegates before their names could be placed on the ballot.

Senate Bill 1 restores the language that was deleted in last year’s bill. “It’s important that candidates continue to be allowed other avenues for getting on the ballot. The system we have had for many years was working well. Restoring the original language is the right thing to do because giving voters choices is what it’s all about,” said Sen. Sanchez.

Pursuant to Senate Rule 11-12-1, amended during last year’s legislative session, senators may pre-file legislation from December 15 through the Friday before the regular session. This year senators may pre-file bills from December 17, 2007 through January 11, 2008. Pre-filed legislation will be introduced and referred to committee on the first day of the regular session which begins on January 15, 2008.

Senate Bill 1 and all other pre-filed bills are posted at the New Mexico Legislature’s website. A link to the website is available on the Senate Democrats’ website www.nmsenate.com.