September 19, 2024

Survey shows candidates are for legislative reform, unsure about ranked choice voting

A survey by four nonprofit organizations showed that candidates for state and federal office support pro-democracy and government reform, according to those groups. Common Cause New Mexico, Fair Districts New Mexico, New Mexico First and New Mexico Open Elections emailed out surveys after the June primary to 170 candidates, of those 37 responded, a 21 […]

Nicole Maxwell

A survey by four nonprofit organizations showed that candidates for state and federal office support pro-democracy and government reform, according to those groups.

Common Cause New Mexico, Fair Districts New Mexico, New Mexico First and New Mexico Open Elections emailed out surveys after the June primary to 170 candidates, of those 37 responded, a 21 percent response rate.

“While this is not a scientific survey, the response rate is comparable to other candidate surveys and helpful in ascertaining the level of support for our issues and where candidates need additional information,” Common Cause New Mexico Policy Director Mason Graham said in a press release.

The survey asked respondents about their support or opposition of things like modernizing the legislature, opening primaries and ranked choice voting.

“Overall we observed broad support across all of the proposed policy reforms with only a few exceptions with less than majority support,” the survey states.

Some of the findings included:

66.7 percent support and 23.1 percent somewhat support amending the constitution to extend the legislative sessions to 60 days in both odd and even-numbered years
76.3 percent support and 13.2 percent somewhat support legislation that required increased disclosure of lobbying activities
71.8 percent support and 15.4 percent somewhat support opening primaries to voters who decline to state and minor parties without having them change their voter registration
61.5 percent support and 25.8 percent somewhat support amending the constitution to allow an independent redistricting commission for the 2030-2031 election
74.4 percent support and 10.3 percent somewhat support amending the constitution to remove the prohibition on legislative compensation
69.2 percent support and 10.4 percent somewhat support legislation requiring increased financial disclosures from elected officials
28.2 percent support and 28.2 percent somewhat support the use of ranked-choice voting in state-level general and/or primary elections

The survey also showed that 20.5 percent of respondents were unsure about ranked choice voting with 18 percent opposed to the proposal.

Ranked choice voting is when voters rank each candidate instead of voting for just one.

The survey was sent to members of all parties including independent and minor parties with 23 candidates for New Mexico State House of Representatives, 12 candidates for State Senate and two candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives responded.

The survey respondents were those who had won their primary elections and received the nomination as their party’s nominee for the general election. The candidates were sent a digital fillable form in June. Responses were then received through August, the report states.

“We are heartened by the huge support (over 75 percent) for two 60-day legislative sessions, additional lobbyist disclosure laws, open primaries, an independent redistricting commission, and the removal of a constitutional provision preventing legislative salaries,” New Mexico Open Primaries Deputy Director Perry Radford said in a press release.

More information about the survey will be presented during the Democracy Open House Event at 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Juno Brewery, 1502 First Street NW in Albuquerque.Visit https://www.nmopenelections.org/democracy_open_house for more information about the event.