New Mexico Supreme Court elections, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 20 - Nov. 3
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 election dates | |
|---|---|
| Deadline to file candidacy | |
| June 28, 2018 | |
| Primary election | |
| June 5, 2018 | |
| General election | |
| November 6, 2018 | |
| Deadline to file for retention | |
| June 26, 2018 | |
| 2018 State Judicial Elections | |
|---|---|
2019 »
« 2017
| |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Supreme Courts Overview | |
| Appellate Courts Overview | |
| View judicial elections by state: | |
The terms of three New Mexico Supreme Court justices expired on December 31, 2018. Two of those justices were required to stand for retention by voters in 2018 in order to remain on the bench. Neither justice filed for retention.[1] Another justice had to stand for election by voters in 2018 in order to remain on the bench.
Candidates and results
Clingman's seat
General election candidates
- Gary L. Clingman (Incumbent) (Republican Party)
- Michael E. Vigil (Democratic Party) ✔
Justices not on the ballot
- Charles Daniels (D)
- Petra Jimenez Maes (D)
About the New Mexico Supreme Court
- See also: New Mexico Supreme Court
The New Mexico Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state of New Mexico. The court is composed of five justices, four associate justices and one chief justice.[2]
Political composition
This was the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2018 election. Justices on the New Mexico Supreme Court are usually appointed through assisted gubernatorial appointment. The new appointee must stand in the next partisan election after his or her appointment, in which they may face a challenger. Subsequent terms are acquired in yes-no retention elections wherein sitting judges must receive 57 percent of the vote to retain their seat.[3] One of the current justices was appointed by a Democratic governor, three were appointed by Republican governors, and one was elected in a partisan election.
| ■ Gary L. Clingman | Appointed by Susana Martinez (R) in 2018 | |
| ■ Charles Daniels | Appointed by Bill Richardson (D) in 2007 | |
| ■ Petra Jimenez Maes | Appointed by Gary Johnson (R) in 1998 | |
| ■ Barbara J. Vigil | Elected in 2012 | |
| ■ Judith Nakamura | Appointed by Susana Martinez (R) in 2015 |
Selection
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The five justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court are chosen by assisted gubernatorial appointment. A new appointee must stand in the next partisan election after his or her appointment. If a sitting judge wishes to serve additional terms, he or she must compete in an uncontested retention election and receive at least 57 percent of the vote.[3] In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of qualified candidates recommended by the judicial nominating commission. The newly appointed judge must run in the next general election to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term. To win further full terms, the judge must stand for retention by voters thereafter.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must:
- be the minimum age of 35;
- have practiced law for the ten years preceding assumption of office;
- be a state resident of at least three years preceding assumption of office.[3]
Selection of the chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote to serve a two-year term. Traditionally, the supreme court chooses the most senior justice to fill the role.[3]
State profile
| Demographic data for New Mexico | ||
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 2,080,328 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 121,298 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 73.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 2.1% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.4% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 9.1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 3.3% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 47.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 84.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 26.3% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $44,963 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 24.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Mexico. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in New Mexico
New Mexico voted for the Democratic candidate in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in New Mexico, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[4]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. New Mexico had three Retained Pivot Counties, 1.66 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More New Mexico coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in New Mexico
- United States congressional delegations from New Mexico
- Public policy in New Mexico
- Endorsers in New Mexico
- New Mexico fact checks
- More...
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Three of 33 New Mexico counties—9 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Colfax County, New Mexico | 8.55% | 2.24% | 10.73% | ||||
| Hidalgo County, New Mexico | 6.73% | 4.96% | 2.92% | ||||
| Valencia County, New Mexico | 8.60% | 2.47% | 7.72% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won New Mexico with 48.3 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 40 percent. In presidential elections between 1912 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic 56 percent of the time and Republican 44 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic four times. The state voted Republican in 2004.[5]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in New Mexico. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[6][7]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 29.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 26.7 points. Clinton won nine districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 24.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 27 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 20.96% | 75.79% | R+54.8 | 18.04% | 72.51% | R+54.5 | R |
| 2 | 27.47% | 69.17% | R+41.7 | 21.96% | 67.15% | R+45.2 | R |
| 3 | 22.91% | 73.48% | R+50.6 | 17.17% | 73.66% | R+56.5 | R |
| 4 | 51.61% | 45.33% | D+6.3 | 42.79% | 42.74% | D+0.1 | R |
| 5 | 70.17% | 26.83% | D+43.3 | 60.70% | 24.05% | D+36.6 | D |
| 6 | 70.21% | 27.48% | D+42.7 | 58.64% | 28.48% | D+30.2 | D |
| 7 | 50.49% | 44.11% | D+6.4 | 40.92% | 45.72% | R+4.8 | R |
| 8 | 46.36% | 48.66% | R+2.3 | 37.51% | 49.60% | R+12.1 | R |
| 9 | 71.00% | 26.44% | D+44.6 | 61.37% | 24.12% | D+37.2 | D |
| 10 | 65.21% | 30.46% | D+34.8 | 56.93% | 31.21% | D+25.7 | D |
| 11 | 74.16% | 20.74% | D+53.4 | 69.71% | 18.46% | D+51.2 | D |
| 12 | 68.74% | 26.63% | D+42.1 | 61.46% | 27.69% | D+33.8 | D |
| 13 | 67.68% | 27.95% | D+39.7 | 59.39% | 27.06% | D+32.3 | D |
| 14 | 75.95% | 20.09% | D+55.9 | 65.37% | 23.23% | D+42.1 | D |
| 15 | 49.95% | 45.35% | D+4.6 | 48.43% | 38.84% | D+9.6 | R |
| 16 | 60.23% | 35.40% | D+24.8 | 54.22% | 33.06% | D+21.2 | D |
| 17 | 62.55% | 32.61% | D+29.9 | 57.98% | 29.63% | D+28.3 | D |
| 18 | 74.99% | 17.57% | D+57.4 | 73.69% | 13.64% | D+60.1 | D |
| 19 | 71.55% | 22.91% | D+48.6 | 67.73% | 20.05% | D+47.7 | D |
| 20 | 46.26% | 48.57% | R+2.3 | 45.05% | 41.13% | D+3.9 | R |
| 21 | 61.08% | 33.19% | D+27.9 | 53.96% | 31.12% | D+22.8 | D |
| 22 | 42.30% | 51.77% | R+9.5 | 40.33% | 46.60% | R+6.3 | R |
| 23 | 50.61% | 44.70% | D+5.9 | 47.86% | 39.71% | D+8.1 | D |
| 24 | 52.10% | 42.11% | D+10 | 47.19% | 36.79% | D+10.4 | D |
| 25 | 60.90% | 33.31% | D+27.6 | 57.03% | 28.81% | D+28.2 | D |
| 26 | 62.57% | 33.00% | D+29.6 | 55.12% | 32.19% | D+22.9 | D |
| 27 | 43.63% | 51.56% | R+7.9 | 43.86% | 42.63% | D+1.2 | R |
| 28 | 43.36% | 51.02% | R+7.7 | 43.31% | 42.27% | D+1 | R |
| 29 | 48.16% | 47.12% | D+1 | 45.04% | 41.24% | D+3.8 | R |
| 30 | 50.06% | 44.08% | D+6 | 47.75% | 37.01% | D+10.7 | R |
| 31 | 38.29% | 57.90% | R+19.6 | 41.78% | 45.91% | R+4.1 | R |
| 32 | 48.95% | 47.93% | D+1 | 43.90% | 47.34% | R+3.4 | D |
| 33 | 57.44% | 38.34% | D+19.1 | 55.59% | 32.01% | D+23.6 | D |
| 34 | 67.75% | 30.86% | D+36.9 | 64.65% | 28.49% | D+36.2 | D |
| 35 | 58.06% | 38.71% | D+19.3 | 54.23% | 34.26% | D+20 | D |
| 36 | 53.29% | 43.51% | D+9.8 | 49.35% | 39.28% | D+10.1 | D |
| 37 | 50.09% | 46.98% | D+3.1 | 49.32% | 39.69% | D+9.6 | D |
| 38 | 45.97% | 50.34% | R+4.4 | 39.87% | 49.90% | R+10 | R |
| 39 | 53.53% | 43.60% | D+9.9 | 48.95% | 41.86% | D+7.1 | D |
| 40 | 69.65% | 27.03% | D+42.6 | 60.30% | 28.99% | D+31.3 | D |
| 41 | 74.26% | 22.15% | D+52.1 | 64.48% | 23.77% | D+40.7 | D |
| 42 | 77.86% | 18.20% | D+59.7 | 69.70% | 18.34% | D+51.4 | D |
| 43 | 51.55% | 42.52% | D+9 | 51.63% | 31.90% | D+19.7 | D |
| 44 | 42.34% | 53.33% | R+11 | 38.87% | 48.14% | R+9.3 | R |
| 45 | 75.50% | 20.49% | D+55 | 71.68% | 19.09% | D+52.6 | D |
| 46 | 76.11% | 19.64% | D+56.5 | 72.91% | 17.80% | D+55.1 | D |
| 47 | 75.23% | 21.12% | D+54.1 | 75.51% | 16.95% | D+58.6 | D |
| 48 | 79.43% | 16.14% | D+63.3 | 76.07% | 15.07% | D+61 | D |
| 49 | 48.75% | 46.04% | D+2.7 | 39.56% | 48.03% | R+8.5 | R |
| 50 | 54.56% | 40.49% | D+14.1 | 49.33% | 40.67% | D+8.7 | D |
| 51 | 34.24% | 62.18% | R+27.9 | 29.61% | 60.13% | R+30.5 | R |
| 52 | 62.23% | 35.17% | D+27.1 | 62.07% | 29.79% | D+32.3 | D |
| 53 | 48.82% | 48.52% | D+0.3 | 48.39% | 41.93% | D+6.5 | R |
| 54 | 32.19% | 64.92% | R+32.7 | 25.69% | 66.62% | R+40.9 | R |
| 55 | 29.64% | 67.48% | R+37.8 | 24.35% | 67.91% | R+43.6 | R |
| 56 | 34.58% | 61.37% | R+26.8 | 29.21% | 61.10% | R+31.9 | R |
| 57 | 45.25% | 50.34% | R+5.1 | 39.99% | 46.81% | R+6.8 | R |
| 58 | 43.98% | 52.91% | R+8.9 | 36.58% | 53.06% | R+16.5 | R |
| 59 | 29.23% | 67.78% | R+38.5 | 23.93% | 67.65% | R+43.7 | R |
| 60 | 42.37% | 52.23% | R+9.9 | 38.93% | 47.35% | R+8.4 | R |
| 61 | 32.56% | 65.02% | R+32.5 | 29.95% | 62.63% | R+32.7 | R |
| 62 | 19.59% | 78.35% | R+58.8 | 18.39% | 74.53% | R+56.1 | R |
| 63 | 49.61% | 47.24% | D+2.4 | 36.71% | 51.26% | R+14.6 | D |
| 64 | 24.47% | 72.92% | R+48.5 | 20.65% | 70.74% | R+50.1 | R |
| 65 | 79.83% | 16.71% | D+63.1 | 67.22% | 16.91% | D+50.3 | D |
| 66 | 24.60% | 72.24% | R+47.6 | 21.08% | 69.94% | R+48.9 | R |
| 67 | 37.15% | 59.71% | R+22.6 | 27.94% | 62.43% | R+34.5 | R |
| 68 | 47.01% | 48.56% | R+1.5 | 43.56% | 42.91% | D+0.7 | R |
| 69 | 68.52% | 28.07% | D+40.4 | 56.03% | 29.07% | D+27 | D |
| 70 | 69.54% | 26.69% | D+42.9 | 60.23% | 28.91% | D+31.3 | D |
| Total | 52.99% | 42.84% | D+10.1 | 48.26% | 40.04% | D+8.2 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'New Mexico judicial election' OR 'New Mexico court election' OR 'New Mexico election 2018'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. News, "2 New Mexico Supreme Court Justices Aren't Seeking Retention," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New Mexico Supreme Court, "Overview," accessed January 29, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: New Mexico," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
- ↑ 270towin.com, "New Mexico," accessed August 8, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
| |||||||||||
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Mexico • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Mexico
State courts:
New Mexico Supreme Court • New Mexico Court of Appeals • New Mexico District Courts • New Mexico Magistrate Court • New Mexico Municipal Courts • New Mexico Probate Courts • New Mexico Problem-Solving Courts • New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration Court • Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court
State resources:
Courts in New Mexico • New Mexico judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Mexico
