46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS IN PROPORTION TO THE PORTION OF POPULAR VOTE RECEIVED BY A PARTY'S CANDIDATES.

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

Section 1. Section 1-15-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1969, Chapter 240, Section 354) is amended to read:

"1-15-4. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS--ELECTION.--

A. The names of the presidential elector nominees shall not be placed upon the general election ballot; instead, the secretary of state shall certify to the county clerks the names of persons nominated by each qualified political party for the offices of president and vice president of the United States.

B. The names of such nominees for president and vice president for each qualified political party shall be printed together in pairs upon the general election ballot. A vote for any such pair of nominees shall be a vote for the presidential electors of the political party by which [such] the nominees were named.

C. The number of presidential elector nominees [of the party whose nominees for president and vice president receive the highest number of votes at the general election shall be the elected presidential electors for this state] elected from each qualified party shall be in proportion to the total number of votes cast at the general election for each party's nominees for president and vice president, and each elector elected accordingly shall be granted a certificate of election by the state canvassing board."

Section 2. Section 1-15-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1969, Chapter 240, Section 356, as amended) is amended to read:

"1-15-6. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS--ORGANIZATION.--

A. Presidential electors of the state shall meet at 11:00 a.m. in the office of the secretary of state on the day fixed by the laws of the United States for presidential electors to cast their ballots for president and vice president of the United States.

B. At [such] the meeting, the presidential electors shall organize by choosing a presiding officer and a secretary.

C. If the full number of electors required by law [are] is not present at [such] the meeting for any reason, those presidential electors present shall, from a list of names nominated by the state chairman of [that] the party of an elector that is not present, forthwith choose [electors] an elector from the voters of that state party.

D. The secretary of state shall provide such clerical assistance as needed by the presidential electors in performing their duties."

Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2003.