House Bill 526

HOUSE BILL 526

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Cristina Parajón and Carrie Hamblen and Angel M. Charley

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE REGISTRATION OF QUALIFIED RESIDENTS WHO ARE SIXTEEN OR SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE TO VOTE IN REGULAR LOCAL ELECTIONS, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND SPECIAL LOCAL ELECTIONS.

 

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

     SECTION 1. Section 1-4-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1969, Chapter 240, Section 60, as amended) is amended to read:

     "1-4-2. REGISTRATION OF QUALIFIED RESIDENTS--RIGHT TO VOTE IN PRIMARY.--

          A. Any qualified resident of New Mexico shall be permitted within the provisions of the Election Code to submit a voter registration certificate in paper form, through the online voter registration portal provided by the secretary of state, electronically when conducting an in-person transaction at the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department or as otherwise prescribed by the secretary of state. The certificate shall be processed by the county clerk in the same manner as for a qualified elector, but the qualified resident shall not become a voter nor be considered a voter, except as provided by this section and Section 1-4-2.1 NMSA 1978.

          B. If a qualified resident submits a voter registration certificate in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A of this section and pursuant to the requirements of Section 1-4-8 NMSA 1978, the qualified resident shall:

                (1) become a voter upon the qualified resident's eighteenth birthday;

                (2) be considered a voter for the purpose of participation in a statewide or special election where the qualified resident will turn eighteen on or before the day of the statewide or special election; or

                (3) be considered a voter for the purpose of participation in a political party primary election where the qualified resident will turn eighteen on or before the day of the general election immediately succeeding the primary election.

          C. Any resident of New Mexico who may be a qualified elector upon the resident's eighteenth birthday, who obtains a license, permit or identification card from the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department and who has not submitted a voter registration certificate pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall be sent a notification by the secretary of state advising the resident of the requirements and opportunity to register to vote and a uniform resource locator for a web page where the resident may submit a voter registration certificate online. When applicable, a notification shall be sent to a resident described in this subsection within the sixty days following the resident's seventeenth birthday, when the resident obtained a license, permit or identification card from the motor vehicle division prior to the resident's seventeenth birthday and within thirty days prior to the resident's eighteenth birthday."

     SECTION 2. A new section of the Election Code, Section 1-4-2.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is January 1, 2026.

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