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

Constitutional Amendment 4: what your vote means

Salaries for state legislators. On every New Mexico ballot. Official sources checked October 22, 2026.

Constitutional Amendment 4 · Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

Salaries for state legislators

Heads up: voting YES on this measure removes the existing constitutional ban on legislators receiving compensation beyond per diem and mileage.

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

PROPOSING TO AMEND ARTICLE 4, SECTION 10 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO ALLOW LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION THAT IS LIMITED TO THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR NEW MEXICO, TO REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION TO BE REDUCED IF THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR NEW MEXICO FALLS, TO ALLOW LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION TO BE INCREASED ONLY IF THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR NEW MEXICO RISES AND TO PROVIDE FOR DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION.

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:

Legislators could be paid compensation, set by law, equal to New Mexico’s annual median household income and adjusted as it rises or falls, starting with the Legislature seated in 2029.

A NO vote means:

Legislators would continue to receive only per diem and mileage, with no other compensation, perquisite, or allowance.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: state legislators and the state budget.
  • Amount: the Legislative Council Service estimates median household income at about $68,000 in 2026.
  • What it removes: the current ban on legislators receiving any other compensation, perquisite, or allowance.
  • 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 pay would let legislators spend more time on legislative work and allow more New Mexicans to afford to serve.

Argument against

Opponents say it could give incumbents an advantage, would be high compared with many states, and leaves issues such as benefits and outside income unaddressed.

Legislative Council Service: arguments for and against Constitutional Amendment 4 (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. Lists checked October 30, 2026.

Who supports it

Who opposes it

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.