Harbison: Non-Partisan Elections

Jim Harbison

The recent legislative session reflected the ongoing serious partisan division and polarization of the political process. This polarization is not limited to the New Mexico State government but is endemic at all levels and does not serve the public well. Legislators are not looking out for their constituents but are more concerned about supporting their party platforms in order to maintain power and get re-elected. They are so polarized that they can no longer see what is in the best interest of the people of the STATE of New Mexico and instead focus on petty party politics that are extremely self serving. They have continually put themselves above the people they are supposed to represent and have disregarded the wishes and demands of ordinary New Mexicans.

Case in point is the recent debacle concerning New Mexico drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. More than three-fourths of the state voters oppose issuing driver’s licenses to them. The members of the House of Representative from all parties demonstrated the moral courage to do what is right, and in response to the requests and demands of the citizen’s, passed a bill to deny licenses to illegal immigrants. Unfortunately, the members of the Senate could not separate their self-serving interests from the desires of the population and refused to support this bill.

Another example was Mimi Stewart’s proposed bill that would change public employee retirement requirements. It was initially defeated on purely party lines. Many from the Democrat party said that while they supported the bill they had to be on record as having voted against it. For a host of reasons including negative public criticism the bill was brought back and the Senators made the necessary hard political decisions and voted to pass it and even if they were in conflict with their “Party” position.

Mimi Stewart

The public isn’t stupid and clearly understands that for what it was - a political power play by the Democrat majority to demonstrate to Governor Martinez that the Democrats were still in charge and they would continue the partisan politics that have prevented any real progress in this State for years.
Representative Andy Nunez was essentially evicted from the Democrat Party by Speaker Lujan. Representative Nunez, like many other voters, chose to register as a “did not state” (DNS) voter and therefore is ineligible to vote in primary elections. Furthermore the entire DNS voting segment of the population goes unrepresented in State politics and has no opportunity to participate in party caucuses or the pending redistricting process – only the two major parties get to do that and to draw the lines that will impact the election process for the next ten years. Independent or DNS voters only get to vote during the General Election for the candidates that were “chosen” for them during the Primary process by the two dominant political parties.

There are numerous states that have non-partisan or open primary elections which facilitate the political participation of all their citizens. Obviously, here in New Mexico the voice of a large segment of the population is not being heard by the established political parties and perhaps it’s time to open up the process and allow the public at large to determine the policies of this State. Experience in the other states invalidates the claims that the process is distorted by people crossing normal party lines to intentionally adversely influence the selection of the opposition party candidate.

Transparency in government at all levels, and especially in Santa Fe, is long overdue and going to open elections with non-partisan primaries will make our election process much more inclusive.

Harbison: Non-Partisan Elections