SENATE BILL 276

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Michael S. Sanchez

AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; REQUIRING BALLOTS TO ALLOW FOR STRAIGHT PARTY TICKET VOTING; ALLOWING CROSSOVER VOTING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 1, Article 10 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] BALLOTS--STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING OPTION.--

          A. In a general election in which more than one qualified political party is represented on the ballot, the ballot shall be designed to allow the voter to vote for all of a qualified party's slate of candidates on the ballot by marking a single straight party option for that party's slate of candidates.

          B. The ballot shall provide the straight party option for each qualified political party with candidates in two or more statewide contests for state office. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1-1-5.2 NMSA 1978, when a voter selects the straight party option, a vote shall be automatically cast for the candidate of the party chosen in each partisan contest in which the party has a candidate and in which the voter does not cast a vote for a different candidate in that contest."

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