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New Mexico · November 3, 2026 general election · Statewide ballot measure

Constitutional Amendment 2: what your vote means

School elections held with partisan elections. On every New Mexico ballot. Official sources checked October 22, 2026.

Constitutional Amendment 2 · Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

School elections held with partisan elections

Heads up: voting YES on this measure removes the existing constitutional requirement that school elections be held separately from partisan elections.

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

PROPOSING TO AMEND ARTICLE 7, SECTION 1 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOL ELECTIONS BE SEPARATE FROM PARTISAN ELECTIONS.

Ballot text as printed by the New Mexico Legislative Council Service in its summary of the constitutional amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

A YES vote means:

The constitutional requirement that school elections be held at different times from partisan elections would be removed.

A NO vote means:

School elections would still have to be held at different times from partisan elections.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: school districts, voters, and election officials.
  • Effect: school districts could put bond and mill levy questions on partisan ballots such as the general election, and the Legislature could allow school board elections to be held with partisan elections.
  • Background: the separation requirement was added to the constitution by voters in 2008.
  • Fiscal impact: No official fiscal impact statement is published in the Legislative Council Service summary or the Secretary of State voter guide for this amendment.

Official arguments, summarized

Short neutral summaries of the arguments printed in the official voters’ pamphlet. The committees that wrote them are responsible for their content. Read the full text at the link below.

Argument for

Supporters say districts would avoid special mail-ballot election costs (estimated at $125,000 to $250,000 each) and more voters would take part in school decisions.

Argument against

Opponents say it could lengthen ballots, raise ballot costs, politicize school elections, and give school issues less attention among higher-profile races.

Legislative Council Service: arguments for and against Constitutional Amendment 2 (PDF)

Who supports it and who opposes it

These lists come from official campaign filings (registered committees) and public endorsements, each linked to its source. They are not complete, and SaveYourState does not endorse anyone listed.

Who supports it

Not yet compiled

Who opposes it

Not yet compiled

Official sources

SaveYourState is independent and nonpartisan, not a government site, and does not take positions on ballot measures. This explainer describes effects only, using the official ballot title, explanatory statement, full text, and fiscal impact statement. If anything here differs from those documents, the official documents control.