In September, I wrote that it is unfair that minor political party candidates and independents in New Mexico have to jump through more hoops that Democrats and Republicans to get on the ballot. I wrote that the system is set up by Democrats and Republicans to make it harder for other parties to challenge their dominance.
At least one of the state’s Republican lawmakers wants to change that.
House Bill 331, sponsored by Rep. Brian Moore, R-Clayton, would eliminate the state’s requirement of two petitions before minor parties can place candidates on the ballot.
The issue stems from an unsuccessful lawsuit filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and Libertarian Party of New Mexico challenging the law on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. Democrats and Republicans who want to run for office have to gather a number of signatures to run, but their parties don’t have to file separate petitions containing a certain number of signatures.
Minor-party candidates have to do both.
Moore’s bill would change the law to eliminate the requirement that individual minor-party candidates gather signatures. If the change is approved, minor parties would nominate candidates, then submit nominating petitions to the secretary of state’s office.
On his blog, Moore wrote Thursday about why the change is important. In his district, for example, he had to gather 53 signatures to get on the ballot during the 2006 election. A minor-party candidate would have had to gather 83 signatures between the two petitions.
Though the bill doesn’t specifically address the even tougher requirements for independents to get on the ballot, Moore notes on this blog that an independent would have had to gather 248 signatures.
Though the difference might seem insignificant in a House district race, Moore wrote, it’s much more pronounced for statewide races, with the difference in the number of signatures required in the thousands. He said he would like to pass legislation that makes it easier for minor-party and independent candidates to run for office.
“It seems like we should make it easier for more candidates to run,” Moore wrote. “It would be better for the political process and certainly better for the citizens of New Mexico.”
The bill has been assigned to two House committees, and has its first hearing in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Though Moore will push for approval, he wrote on his blog, “both major political parties are not very excited about this bill, so I’m not extremely optimistic about its passage.”
In September, I wrote that it is unfair that minor political party candidates and independents in 
The issue stems from an unsuccessful lawsuit filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and Libertarian Party of New Mexico challenging the law on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. Democrats and Republicans who want to run for office have to gather a number of signatures to run, but their parties don’t have to file separate petitions containing a certain number of signatures.