Voter Guide Procedures for Statewide General Elections

(Adopted May 2008 Revised 11/12, 01/13, 09/17, 07/20, 03/26)

For each statewide election, the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico develops and poses questions to candidates for statewide and district offices. The LWVNM Voter Services Chair (Chair) writes descriptions of statewide and regional offices as listed below, drafts candidate questions, and obtains the content of statewide ballot questions.

Local Leagues are responsible for gathering information on all other candidates and ballot questions including the local projects included in statewide general obligation bonds. Local Leagues with overlapping districts coordinate their efforts so that candidates are not asked to respond to more than one League questionnaire.

The League observes the following procedures in producing Voter Guides for statewide elections:

The Chair provides to the Voter Services Committee (Committee) a Voter Guide production schedule and a contact list of representatives from each of the local Leagues that comprise the Committee. Additionally, race assignment and candidate lists (broken down by local League) are provided to the Committee (once races and their candidates are posted by the Secretary of State (SoS).

The race assignment list for LWVNM counties includes candidates for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and candidates for the following statewide offices: Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Judges (first time and retention), Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, State Land Commissioner, and the Public Regulation and Public Education Commissions. Race assignment lists for the local Leagues cover the races to which they are assigned.

Possible candidate questions for these offices are generated by the Committee and the local Leagues. Questions are selected by the Committee and consolidated by the Chair for submission to the LWVNM Board for approval, revision, or replacement. LWVNM has final authority over the questions for the above offices.
The Chair disseminates the Board-approved questions to the Committee. The Chair sends customized letters, questions, and guidelines to all SoS-certified federal and statewide candidates on the LWVNM race assignment list.
Responsibilities of the Chair:

Compile the election calendar information and update the state-wide race descriptions information for the Committee.
Request from the NM Department of Finance and Administration the tax implications of any proposed General Obligation Bonds.
Ask the Legislative Council Service to send the ballot language, explanations, and the pros and cons of each proposed Constitutional amendment in MS WORD. It is essential to summarize the explanation and the best three pros and the best three cons for each amendment proposal into non-technical, everyday language so that the public can readily understand what they are voting for or against. It is advisable to share the League’s summaries of the Constitutional amendments with LCS, though staff will not suggest changes unless there are inaccuracies.

The Voter Services Committees of the local Leagues develop and send their own sets of questions to candidates for all races that are not specifically listed above. For unopposed candidates the term “unopposed” may be written beneath the candidate’s name in local League Voter Guides. When candidates facing opposition serve districts with more than one local League, the local Leagues coordinate the candidate questions so that no candidate receives more than one set of League questions. Ultimately, the choice of questions rests with the local League that has the largest population in the district.
Write-in candidates who have been certified by the SoS for the primary election or for the general election are also offered the opportunity to respond to Voter Guide candidate questions. For statewide offices, the Chair will follow up with the write-in candidate. For local area candidates, the local League will follow up. At a minimum, all write-in candidates should have their names, photos, and office listed in League Voter Guides.
The deadline for receipt of responses is generally two weeks after the bulk of the questionnaires are mailed or emailed. If no reply is received by the deadline, the words, “No reply received” will be printed by the candidate’s name in Voter Guides. The Chair will email reminders to the candidates or their official campaign address about a week before the deadline for all LWVNM-assigned counties. Reminders to all other candidates are the responsibility of the local Leagues. Follow-up phone calls or texts are optional but highly recommended. Exceptions to deadlines are granted only when there are good justifications for delays.
In fairness to all candidates, word limits are strictly enforced. Responses of candidates are published as submitted unless there is potentially defamatory content, in which case the League will defer to the opinion of counsel. The League’s decision is final.
All responses are printed in paragraph form. Lists are converted by inserting punctuation after each item. Responses in caps, bold, and italics are converted to standard format. Otherwise, the League will in no way edit for meaning, grammar, punctuation, or spelling.
Prior to early voting, the Chair will notify all statewide candidates that the online Voter Guide is live and accessible to voters.
The Chair will work closely with the Communications Chair to publicize the online Voter Guide.
The text of the local League Voter Guides is restricted to League use until the local president determines it is ready for publication.
Exclusive rights to publicize the Voter Guide will not be granted to any media or public relations organization.
The text below or a similar text is required for all League Voter Guides:

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that provides information about candidates and ballot questions so that citizens can make informed election decisions. The League does not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. The candidate information in this Voter Guide was obtained by means of a questionnaire sent to all candidates certified by the Secretary of State. The responses of the candidates to our questionnaire are printed as received by the League without editing for meaning, grammar, punctuation, or spelling. However, lists will be converted to paragraph form by inserting punctuation after each item. Responses in caps, bold, and italics will be converted to standard format. Because of space restrictions, candidates are limited to a specific number of words.
Disclaimer:
The information in this Voter Guide has been carefully compiled to assure maximum accuracy. However, the League assumes no responsibility for the content of any candidate’s reply or for errors or omissions.
Prepared by the League of Women Voters of New Mexico and the League of Women Voters of ________________ and financed by contributions from League members, friends, and New Mexico businesses. No elected officials, candidates for office, or political party representatives are listed as donors of League Voter Guides.