By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — New Mexico Democrats have a hard deadline to finish picking a Lieutenant Governor nominee: State Central Committee members vote July 25-29, and the winner’s name goes to the Secretary of State by July 30 to lock in the November ballot.
This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news service covering politics and policy in the Land of Enchantment. Learn more and support our work at nmreports.org
State law hands the pick to party insiders, not primary voters, whenever a nominee withdraws more than 90 days before a general election, DPNM co-executive director Isaiah Baca said in a party video explaining the process. Roughly 300 SCC members — county delegates, caucus representatives and 28 seats reserved for tribal communities — will cast the vote after the committee’s July 25 meeting opens at noon.
Why the seat is open
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver won the June 2 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor but abruptly dropped out last month, citing her health, setting off the replacement process now underway.
Where the field stands heading into the vote
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland endorsed Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard for the seat June 26, days after naming her as one of five finalists that also included state Sens. Harold Pope and Leo Jaramillo, attorney Antonia Roybal-Mack and former Veterans Services secretary Sonya Smith. Roybal-Mack said afterward she was returning to her legal work representing wildfire victims. Garcia Richard, in a social media post, said she’d spend the coming weeks working to earn committee members’ trust ahead of the vote.
The timeline
- July 18, 11 a.m. — Candidate forum; SCC members submit questions directly to candidates
- July 25, noon — SCC meeting opens; voting begins immediately after
- July 29, 5 p.m. — Voting window closes
- July 30 — Results announced and sent to the Secretary of State
- If three or more candidates remain formally in contention, the SCC uses ranked-choice voting
More Info
- Process overview: nmdemocrats.org/lieutenant-vacancy-process
- Key dates: Candidate forum, July 18, 11 a.m.; SCC vote opens, July 25, noon; voting closes, July 29, 5 p.m.; results, July 30