New Mexico Constitution Article VII § 5 – Election by ballot; plurality elects candidate
A. All elections shall be by ballot.
Terms Used In New Mexico Constitution Article VII § 5 - Election by ballot; plurality elects candidate
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
B. The legislature may provide by law for runoff elections for all elections other than municipal, primary or statewide elections. If the legislature does not provide for runoff elections, the person who receives the highest number of votes for any office, except as provided in this section, and except in the cases of the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be declared elected to that office. The joint candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall be declared elected to those offices.
C. In a municipal election, the candidate that receives the most votes for an office shall be declared elected to that office, unless the municipality has provided for runoff elections. A municipality may provide for runoff elections as follows:
(1) a municipality that has not adopted a charter pursuant to Article 10, § 6 of the constitution of New Mexico may provide by ordinance for runoff elections;
(2) a municipality that has adopted a charter pursuant to Article 10, § 6 of the constitution of New Mexico, and prior to the adoption of this amendment the charter provided for runoff elections, shall hold runoff elections pursuant to the charter; or
(3) a municipality that adopts or has adopted a charter pursuant to Article 10, § 6 of the constitution of New Mexico may, subsequent to the adoption of this amendment, provide for runoff elections as provided in its charter. (As amended, November 6, 1962 and November 2, 2004.)