2026 ELECTION RESEARCH · NM

New Mexico ballot questions

Source review and research limits are shown for each question. An unknown detail is not treated as a fact.

Evidence & research limitsReviewed October 21, 2026

The certified ballot contains four constitutional amendments and three general-obligation bond questions; all seven existing records match.

Question inventoryOfficial list checked

Candidate recordsSource review partial; see scope

EndorsementsPublished statements only; coverage incomplete

What has and has not been checked

All 8 existing federal candidate names were found in the House Clerk’s October 8, 2026 nomination roster; office, district and party were compared for the federal contests. This verifies that dated federal roster snapshot only. State executive, legislative, judicial and local candidates are not covered by this check. Candidate biographies, policy claims, controversies and all endorsements were not verified.

Local coverage is not exhaustively verified. This audit covers the existing statewide-question inventory and the precisely stated candidate-roster scope; official county, municipal and district ballots remain necessary.

Current-officeholder rosters are dated snapshots, not a guarantee of current service. Individual biographies, policy claims and controversies are unknown unless a separate review is shown. An unknown endorsement does not mean no endorsement exists.

This review does not certify every municipality, district, precinct or address-specific ballot. Confirm the voter’s official local sample ballot.
Candidate biographies, policy positions and controversies were not substantively audited in this roster review.
Endorsement research is not exhaustive. An unrecorded endorsement or party position means not verified here, not that none exists.
No comprehensive post-certification litigation docket was reviewed; subsequent court orders or election-official corrections may change treatment.
Question headings are editorial descriptions. Review status identifies which parts of the explanation were independently checked.
The Republican Party’s October amendment and bond recommendations have not been independently verified.

New Mexico Secretary of State: certified 2026 amendment and bond questions New Mexico Secretary of State: 2026 voter guide

Open the interactive report and district lookup →

STATEWIDE•Question

Constitutional Amendment 1

Require explained vetoes and end the pocket veto

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs.

Unknown: Named organizations.

New Mexico Secretary of State: certified 2026 amendment and bond questions New Mexico Secretary of State: 2026 voter guide New Mexico Legislature: enacted text or fiscal analysis New Mexico Legislature: enacted text or fiscal analysis

Bills delivered in the final three days of a legislative session would become law unless the governor vetoes them within 20 days after adjournment. Every full or partial veto would need a substantive explanation. Currently, inaction can prevent those late bills from becoming law.

YES

Make enactment the default if the governor does not act and require explanations for vetoes.

Retain the pocket veto and current constitutional rules.

Who benefits or is affected

The Legislature and public gain information about rejected bills, and supporters of passed legislation gain protection against unexplained inaction. It creates no private funding award.

Costs and tradeoffs

The legislative analysis describes possible additional governor-office work as indeterminate but minimal and notes possible litigation. Publication/election costs of roughly $35,000–$50,000 arise from submitting an amendment, not a new tax imposed only after approval. Future bills that become law can have their own costs.

Inaction after the deadline would allow covered bills to become law instead of blocking them.

The governor retains the ability to veto with a substantive explanation.

Organizations named in the records

Recipient names: unknown. No separately verified allocation or contract-award list is recorded for this question. This does not mean no recipients exist.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Constitutional Amendment 2

Allow school elections alongside partisan elections

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs.

Unknown: Named organizations.

Removes the constitutional requirement that school elections occur separately from partisan elections. It opens the way for school bond and mill-levy questions on even-year general-election ballots and permits the Legislature to alter school-election timing.

YES

Remove the separation requirement; subsequent scheduling remains subject to election law.

Keep the constitutional separation rule.

Who benefits or is affected

School districts and voters are affected by the changed election-scheduling authority. No district receives a particular bond allocation or levy approval through this amendment.

Costs and tradeoffs

The fiscal analysis identifies $35,000–$50,000 in one-time publication/election costs and potential district savings from avoiding special elections. Savings depend on actual schedules; additional questions may also increase ballot-processing costs. Approval does not approve any future school debt.

The Legislature could change school-election timing after the constitutional separation is removed.

No particular school bond or mill levy is approved by this amendment.

Organizations named in the records

Recipient names: unknown. No separately verified allocation or contract-award list is recorded for this question. This does not mean no recipients exist.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Constitutional Amendment 3

Change how state educational regents are nominated

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs, Named organizations.

Unknown: Final outcomes, future contract awards and your individual tax bill are not established by a ballot authorization.

Requires institution-specific committees to nominate nonstudent regents for the governor, with Senate confirmation retained. No party could hold more than half the seats on a nominating committee. Nonstudent regents and committee members could not have changed party registration in the preceding 12 months. Elected student governments would supply student-regent nominees.

YES

Adopt the nomination framework and require implementing laws.

Keep current appointment procedures, including the governor’s broader discretion.

Who benefits or is affected

Students and institutions may benefit from wider vetting; student governments gain a formal nomination role. Committee members gain influence over governance. The ten named institutions are affected by appointment rules, not recipients of a new capital grant.

Costs and tradeoffs

The fiscal analysis estimates $35,000–$50,000 for putting the amendment before voters. Ongoing committee costs and procedures depend on subsequent legislation. There is no approved tuition reduction, bond amount or calculable per-voter charge.

Nominating committees gain a formal role while appointment and Senate confirmation remain.

The stated student-regent provision excludes the three specified special schools.

Organizations named in the records

University of New Mexico
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico State University
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico Highlands University
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
Western New Mexico University
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
Eastern New Mexico University
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico Military Institute
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
New Mexico School for the Deaf
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact
Northern New Mexico State School
Institution covered by governance change
Regent nomination rules would change; this measure assigns no project funding.
Legislative Finance Committee: affected institutions and HJR1 fiscal impact

A named public institution, administrator or eligible applicant is not automatically a contract awardee. Future private awards are unknown unless a source identifies an executed award.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Constitutional Amendment 4

Allow legislative salaries linked to household income

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs, Named organizations.

Unknown: Final outcomes, future contract awards and your individual tax bill are not established by a ballot authorization.

Permits legislative compensation equal to New Mexico’s median household income, adjusted as that income rises or falls, while retaining the existing per-diem and mileage provisions. Pay would begin with members seated for the 59th Legislature in 2029, not immediately after this election.

YES

Authorize the constitutional compensation change for the specified future Legislature.

Keep the present constitutional compensation framework without these salaries.

Who benefits or is affected

Legislators would receive the payments. Working people who cannot afford unpaid legislative service could have an easier path to office; that is a potential representation benefit, not a guaranteed change in who wins elections. No business grant is created.

Costs and tradeoffs

The Legislative Finance Committee estimates about $7.6 million annually using 112 legislators and a $67,800 median household income, with about $3.8 million in the last half of FY2029. These are illustrative fiscal estimates, not the final 2029 pay rate. The estimate excludes employer payroll taxes and any benefits if included. General-fund spending would compete with other priorities; there is no separately specified voter tax.

Legislators are the direct pay recipients; per diem and mileage remain.

Compensation follows household median income and begins in 2029, rather than immediately after passage.

Organizations named in the records

Members of the New Mexico Legislature beginning in 2029
Direct compensation recipients
The amendment concerns legislative pay, with the start tied to the 59th Legislature.
HJR5 (2026): enrolled compensation amendment and effective Legislature

A named public institution, administrator or eligible applicant is not automatically a contract awardee. Future private awards are unknown unless a source identifies an executed award.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

support

Democratic Party of New Mexico

The organization explicitly recommends approval.

Published 2026-10-13 · Source checked 2026-10-21

Official party announcement

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Bond Question 1

Borrow up to $21,582,213 for senior facilities and equipment

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs.

Unknown: Named organizations.

Authorizes general-obligation borrowing for 60 listed senior-facility, equipment and vehicle projects. These cover 59 named facilities or programs because El Rancho has two allocations. Project funding totals $21,256,250; the ballot’s larger ceiling also covers issuance-related costs.

YES

Authorize this borrowing and the property-tax levy needed to repay it.

Reject this bond authorization; projects would need other financing or could be delayed.

Who benefits or is affected

Seniors using the named centers, meal programs and transport services are the intended users. Public and tribal facilities receive capital improvements. The Aging and Long-Term Services Department administers the allocation. Suppliers and contractors selected later may earn revenue, but the act does not name winning private firms. Residents do not receive equal cash grants.

Costs and tradeoffs

$21,582,213 maximum principal. The authorization includes issuance-related allowances; interest is additional. Statewide property taxes repay the debt. Under HB248, repayment begins within two years of issuance and maturity is no later than 11 years. The State Board of Finance sets issue terms. The 2026 voter guide says final rates and estimated owner costs depend on issuance, interest rates, assessed values and outstanding debt, and will be determined later. Dividing debt by voters is not a tax estimate.

Voters approve one statewide package rather than individual center projects.

Property taxes repay principal and interest; passage does not create equal household grants.

Organizations named in the records

Recipient names: unknown. No separately verified allocation or contract-award list is recorded for this question. This does not mean no recipients exist.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Bond Question 2

Borrow up to $19,324,188 for libraries

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs, Named organizations.

Unknown: Final outcomes, future contract awards and your individual tax bill are not established by a ballot authorization.

Authorizes library-resource bonds. The project schedule allocates $6 million each for public, public-school and academic libraries and $1 million for tribal libraries, plus issuance-related allowances within the ballot ceiling. Eligible uses include resources, equipment and technology described in the act.

YES

Authorize the borrowing and repayment levy.

Reject this bond issue; libraries would need other sources for these acquisitions.

Who benefits or is affected

Library users, students and participating public, academic, school and tribal libraries are the intended beneficiaries. Publishers and technology suppliers may benefit from purchases selected later. The measure does not designate a particular commercial vendor or distribute $19 million equally among residents.

Costs and tradeoffs

$19,324,188 maximum principal. The authorization includes issuance-related allowances; interest is additional. Statewide property taxes repay the debt. Under HB248, repayment begins within two years of issuance and maturity is no later than 11 years. The State Board of Finance sets issue terms. The 2026 voter guide says final rates and estimated owner costs depend on issuance, interest rates, assessed values and outstanding debt, and will be determined later. Dividing debt by voters is not a tax estimate.

The money funds institutional library resources rather than personal purchase vouchers.

Interest is additional to the principal authorization; vendors are selected through later purchasing.

Organizations named in the records

Public libraries statewide
Named program allocation
$6 million for the public-library program.
Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Public-school libraries statewide
Named program allocation
$6 million for the school-library program.
Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Academic libraries statewide
Named program allocation
$6 million for the academic-library program.
Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Tribal libraries statewide
Named program allocation
$1 million for tribal-library resources.
Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule

A named public institution, administrator or eligible applicant is not automatically a contract awardee. Future private awards are unknown unless a source identifies an executed award.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

STATEWIDE•Question

Bond Question 3

Borrow up to $352,225,379 for educational facilities

Source review availableSee exactly what was checked

The fields listed below were checked against the linked sources on October 21, 2026. Future outcomes, final contract awards and individual tax bills are not established by this review.

Checked: Title, Summary, Yes vote, No vote, Beneficiaries, Fiscal estimate, Tradeoffs, Named organizations.

Unknown: Final outcomes, future contract awards and your individual tax bill are not established by a ballot authorization.

Authorizes the largest of the three bond packages for higher education, special schools and tribal schools. The named capital projects total $351,575,000; the higher borrowing ceiling includes issuance-related allowances. Voters approve one package rather than individual campus projects.

YES

Authorize this debt and its property-tax repayment levy.

Reject the authorization; institutions would need other financing or revise and delay projects.

Who benefits or is affected

Students, staff, patients served through training and medical facilities, and the listed institutions are intended beneficiaries. UNM, NMSU and New Mexico Tech receive the largest allocations. Construction and equipment firms may later be paid under contracts, but no winning private contractors are identified in this act. This is not a tuition-rebate or household-grant program.

Costs and tradeoffs

$352,225,379 maximum principal. The authorization includes issuance-related allowances; interest is additional. Statewide property taxes repay the debt. Under HB248, repayment begins within two years of issuance and maturity is no later than 11 years. The State Board of Finance sets issue terms. The 2026 voter guide says final rates and estimated owner costs depend on issuance, interest rates, assessed values and outstanding debt, and will be determined later. Dividing debt by voters is not a tax estimate.

Voters approve the bundled institutional projects and cannot remove one project from the package.

Statewide property-tax repayment does not guarantee tuition reductions, admission or named construction awards.

Organizations named in the records

University of New Mexico
Named capital allocation
$125,500,000. Includes $116 million for the School of Medicine and projects at Los Alamos, Gallup, Taos and Valencia. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico State University
Named capital allocation
$98,650,000. Includes a $55 million multidisciplinary academic facility, $20 million critical infrastructure and $17.65 million reforestation center, plus branch projects. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Named capital allocation
$48,000,000 total: $40 million for the mineral science and engineering complex and $8 million for a Bureau of Geology core-research facility. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms
Eastern New Mexico University
Named capital allocation
$18,975,000. Portales agriculture/science/art annex, Roswell improvements and Ruidoso child-care lab. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Central New Mexico Community College
Named capital allocation
$15,000,000. Center for technical innovation and entrepreneurial development. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico Highlands University
Named capital allocation
$9,000,000. Thomas C. Donnelly Library and annex renovation. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico School for the Deaf
Named capital allocation
$6,500,000. Dillon Hall and other facility improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Northern New Mexico State School
Named capital allocation
$5,000,000. Building and infrastructure improvements in Española. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico Military Institute
Named capital allocation
$5,000,000. Educational-facility development. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
San Juan College
Named capital allocation
$4,200,000. Water utilities and related infrastructure. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Western New Mexico University
Named capital allocation
$3,000,000. Campus improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Luna Community College
Named capital allocation
$2,000,000. Allied-health building improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Santa Fe Community College
Named capital allocation
$2,000,000. Library and 500s area improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Diné College
Named capital allocation
$2,000,000. New Mexico facilities. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Navajo Technical University
Named capital allocation
$2,000,000. New Mexico facilities. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Clovis Community College
Named capital allocation
$1,000,000. Campus improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
New Mexico Junior College
Named capital allocation
$1,000,000. John Shepherd administration building. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Southeast New Mexico College
Named capital allocation
$1,000,000. Entryway and welcome-center improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Institute of American Indian Arts
Named capital allocation
$1,000,000. Campus improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule
Mesalands Community College
Named capital allocation
$750,000. Heating/cooling and related improvements. This identifies the institution, not a contractor award.
HB248 (2026): enrolled bond act, full projects and repayment terms Legislative Council Service: 96-project allocation schedule

A named public institution, administrator or eligible applicant is not automatically a contract awardee. Future private awards are unknown unless a source identifies an executed award.

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

Republican Party

Unknown — no verified statement is recorded for this question.

A position applies to the named organization, not every party member. Missing evidence does not establish neutrality. We do not infer a party’s position from its ideology or a legislator’s vote.

Official election office · Coverage status · Reporting standards

New Mexico ballot questions

Require explained vetoes and end the pocket veto

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Allow school elections alongside partisan elections

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Change how state educational regents are nominated

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

University of New Mexico

New Mexico State University

New Mexico Highlands University

Western New Mexico University

Eastern New Mexico University

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New Mexico Military Institute

New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

New Mexico School for the Deaf

Northern New Mexico State School

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Allow legislative salaries linked to household income

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

Members of the New Mexico Legislature beginning in 2029

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Borrow up to $21,582,213 for senior facilities and equipment

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Borrow up to $19,324,188 for libraries

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

Public libraries statewide

Public-school libraries statewide

Academic libraries statewide

Tribal libraries statewide

Published party positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Borrow up to $352,225,379 for educational facilities

Who benefits or is affected

Costs and tradeoffs

Organizations named in the records

University of New Mexico

New Mexico State University

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Eastern New Mexico University

Central New Mexico Community College

New Mexico Highlands University

New Mexico School for the Deaf

Northern New Mexico State School

New Mexico Military Institute

San Juan College

Western New Mexico University

Luna Community College

Santa Fe Community College

Diné College

Navajo Technical University

Clovis Community College

New Mexico Junior College

Southeast New Mexico College