Parties prepare for 2010 pre-primary conventions

2010 Election

New Mexico’s Democratic and Republican parties have set  dates and picked locations for their 2010 pre-primary nominating conventions.

Both parties will host their conventions on Saturday, March 13. Republicans have decided to meet at the Albuquerque Hilton Hotel, while Democrats will head north to the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort and Spa at Buffalo Thunder.

Democratic Party Chairman Javier Gonzales told party members — in an e-mail sent last week  — that he had toured sites from Las Cruces to Santa Fe, but indicated  he and his  staff,  who are anticipating a “significant increase in turnout,” chose a venue with a “greater capacity than was necessary in year’s past.”

“Having the Pre-Primary Convention at the Buffalo Thunder Resort means that the DPNM will save precious resources which can be utilized in the 2010 election season, keep costs to delegates at a minimum and allows the DPNM to host events for delegates on both Friday and Saturday evening at an amazing resort and conference space,” Gonzales wrote.

State GOP Executive Director Ryan Cangiolosi sent an e-mail to Republican candidates telling them the party would allow them to rent tables and sponsor coffee breaks for between $200 and $250 and inviting campaigns to host receptions on the Friday evening before the convention.

Democrats will host 2,160 delegates, including 446 State Central Committee delegates. Delegates, and alternate delegates, will be elected at county conventions. State Central Committee members are automatic delegates.

A similar process is used to pick delegates in the Republican Party, but state central committee members are not automatically included in the 437-delegate count.  They also have to win their spots at county conventions, according to Cangiolosi.

Candidates have to file nominating petitions, but the pre-primary conventions are important because candidates who secure 20 percent of the pre-primary delegate votes are automatically qualified for positions on the June 1 primary ballot. Candidates who fail to win 20 percent of the delegate votes can appear on the ballot only if they submit signatures from a number equal to 4 percent of the total votes of the candidate’s party within 10 days following their parties’ convention.

St. Cyr is a contributing writer for this site and a reporter at 770KKOB.com. He can be reached at peter.stcyr@gmail.com. A prior version of this posting incorrectly stated that the primary is June 2.

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