RGF proposal on ballot access gains national coverage

Recently, Rio Grande Foundation came up with a list of politically-popular, free market proposals for conservative/free market candidates for the Legislature. One of those proposals was to reduced/eliminate the requirement that candidates for New Mexico’s Legislature obtain signatures in order to serve in the body on a voluntary basis.

This proposal received attention in Ballot Access News, a national publication that tracks state regulations on ballot access, particularly for third parties.

As the publication notes, “New Mexico will probably be one of only three or four states this year with no minor party or independent candidates on the ballot in November for statewide office.” The publication went on to note that, “The biggest problem with New Mexico ballot access is the state’s unique law that says a qualified minor party must submit large petitions for each of its nominees. No other state requires the nominees of qualified political parties to submit signatures.”

The Rio Grande Foundation has repeatedly made note of New Mexico’s long tradition of single-party rule in the Legislature and the pitfalls associated with monopolies of all kinds.