Candidates & Campaigns

What are the minimum requirements to run for this office?

The US Constitution requires that Members of the US House of Representatives be at least twenty-five (25) years old, have been a US citizen for at least seven (7) years, and live in the state they represent (not necessarily in the same district with a vacant seat). Prospective candidates must be registered to vote in the state of New Mexico, by the date that the proclamation calling for the election was issued (which was Thursday, March 18, 2021).

I want to run for this office as:

A member of the _________ party, what do I need to do?

During a special election to fill a vacancy in the US House of Representatives, qualified political parties will nominate a candidate based on the party’s rules. Each political party’s nominee will file their declaration of candidacy with the Secretary of State on the fifty-sixth (56) day before the election (April 6). The Secretary of State’s office will process and qualify nominees, and a written notice will be provided regarding the candidate’s qualification status. Qualified candidates will appear on the ballot, in the order designated by the “New Mexico Election Alphabet.”

An independent candidate (no political affiliation), what do I need to do?

Independent candidates will file their declaration of candidacy and nominating petitions (signed by eligible voters residing within the congressional district), with the Secretary of State on the fifty-sixth (56) day before the election (April 6). The Secretary of State will process and qualify independent filers and a written notification will be provided regarding the candidate’s qualification status. Qualified candidates will appear on the ballot, in the order designated by the “New Mexico Election Alphabet.”

A write-in candidate, what do I need to do?

Write-in candidates will file their declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the Secretary of State on the fifty-sixth (56) day before the election (April 6). The Secretary of State will process and qualify nominees and a written notification will be provided regarding qualification status. The names of write-in candidates will not appear on the ballot.

How many petition signatures are required to run as an independent candidate?

The number of signatures needed for an independent candidate are based on the timing between the announcement of the vacancy, and the filing date to submit ones declaration of candidacy. The vacancy was announced on March 16, 2021 (after the Secretary of State received the resignation of Representative Haaland), while the filing date is April 6, 2021; as there are less than thirty (30) days between these two dates, the minimum required number of petition signatures for independent candidates will be 1,661. Pursuant to 1-8-51 (F)(2), NMSA 1978.

How do I set up a campaign committee / file financial reports? Can I start fundraising now?

Campaign reporting for this office is overseen by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC website contains pertinent information:  https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/.

When and where do I file my declaration of candidacy / declaration of intent to run as a write-in candidate?

Candidate filing day will take place on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in the office of the Secretary of State, located at 325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM  87501. All candidates must file in person (or by designee) with the office between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm. Documents cannot be pre-filed or filed at a later time. Candidates who are filing by designee will need to include a signed copy of the “Affidavit of Designee for Filing” form with their filing paperwork. Required forms can be found here.

Do I have to live in / be registered to vote in the Congressional District in order to run in that district?

The US Constitution requires that Members of the House of Representative live in the state they represent, but not necessarily the Congressional District with a vacancy.

If I don’t receive my party’s nomination, can I run as an independent or write-in candidate?

An independent candidate must not be affiliated with a qualified political party on or before the date of the issuance of the Special Election proclamation. Any candidate may be a write-in candidate if they otherwise comply with the election code in becoming a write-in candidate.