A primary election is how political parties select their nominees for the General Election. Voters choose among candidates from a single party, and the winning candidate from each party then appears on the General Election ballot.

In New Mexico’s semi-open primary system:

• Voters registered with a major party (for example, Democratic, Republican, or Libertarian) vote in their own party’s primary, as before.
• Voters who are registered as Independent or Declined-to-State (DTS) may now choose which major party’s primary they want to participate in, without changing their underlying registration.

Voters still cast one primary ballot in one party’s primary; they simply have more flexibility if they are not already registered with a major (Dem/Rep) party.

In New Mexico’s semi-open primary system:

• Major (Dem/Rep) party voters (already registered with a major political party) participate in their own party’s primary.
• Independent and Declined-to-State voters can choose which major party primary they’d like to vote in, without re-registering.
• New or unregistered voters can still use Same Day Registration to register and participate in the primary.

If you are already registered with a major (Dem/Rep) party and want to vote in that party’s primary, you do not need to change anything.

If you are registered as Independent or Declined-to-State, you may now choose a major party primary ballot at the polls without permanently changing your registration. You’ll still be listed as Independent/DTS when the election is over.

Semi-open primaries will first be used in New Mexico’s June 2026 Primary Election. The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office and the New Mexico Secretary of State are working together to update procedures, poll worker training, and voter education materials before then.

No. General Elections remain the same. All registered voters may participate in the General Election, and all eligible contests appear on your ballot based on where you live. The semi-open primary law only changes who can participate in each party’s primary election.

State lawmakers passed Senate Bill 16 so that more New Mexicans—particularly independent and Declined-to-State voters—could participate in publicly funded primary elections. Supporters of the change have highlighted several goals:

• Reducing barriers for independent and DTS voters who previously could not easily vote in primaries.
• Increasing participation in primary elections, where many important contests are effectively decided.
• Ensuring that publicly funded elections are more accessible to all eligible voters.
• Reducing administrative strain by simplifying the process at polling places.

The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office will continue to administer elections in a nonpartisan and transparent manner under the new rules.

For Santa Fe County voters, semi-open primaries mean:

• More voters can participate in choosing who appears on the General Election ballot.
• Independent and Declined-to-State voters have a clear, straightforward way to vote in a primary.
• Voters do not have to change their long-term registration just to participate in one election.

Our office is preparing updated outreach materials, poll worker training, and website information so that every voter knows what to expect before they arrive at the polls.

Under the old closed-primary system, many independent or DTS voters had to re-register at the polls if they wanted to participate in a major (Dem/Rep) party primary. This could create long lines and additional paperwork for voters, poll workers, and county staff.

The semi-open primary system is designed to:

• Reduce the number of last-minute party registration changes at polling places.
• Simplify check-in and ballot issuance for poll workers.
• Make the process more predictable and efficient for everyone involved.

The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office will continue to collaborate with the Secretary of State and other counties to make sure the transition to semi-open primaries is smooth and well-communicated.

To confirm your current voter registration, update your address, or check your party affiliation, visit the New Mexico Voter Information Portal:

www.NMVote.org

You can also contact the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office if you have questions or need assistance.