Where things stand in Democrats' search for a lieutenant governor nominee
New Mexico Democratic Party leaders will vote July 25-29 to select a new lieutenant governor nominee after Maggie Toulouse Oliver withdrew from the race.
About 300 party committee members will vote July 25-29 to replace Maggie Toulouse Oliver on the November ballot
Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
This article was originally published by The Paper. and New Mexico Political Report.
New Mexico Democrats have a hard deadline to finish picking a Lieutenant Governor nominee: State Central Committee members vote July 25-29, and the winner’s name goes to the Secretary of State by July 30 to lock in the November ballot.
State law hands the pick to party insiders, not primary voters, whenever a nominee withdraws more than 90 days before a general election, DPNM co-executive director Isaiah Baca said in a party video explaining the process. Roughly 300 SCC members — county delegates, caucus representatives and 28 seats reserved for tribal communities — will cast the vote after the committee’s July 25 meeting opens at noon.
Why the seat is open
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver won the June 2 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor but abruptly dropped out last month, citing her health, setting off the replacement process now underway.
Joshua Bowling
Where the field stands heading into the vote
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland endorsed Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard for the seat June 26, days after naming her as one of five finalists that also included state Sens. Harold Pope and Leo Jaramillo, attorney Antonia Roybal-Mack and former Veterans Services secretary Sonya Smith. Roybal-Mack said afterward she was returning to her legal work representing wildfire victims. Garcia Richard, in a social media post, said she’d spend the coming weeks working to earn committee members’ trust ahead of the vote.
The Democratic Party of New Mexico explains how members of its State Central Committee will select a replacement nominee for lieutenant governor. (Courtesy video / Democratic Party of New Mexico)
The timeline
- July 25, noon — SCC meeting opens; voting begins immediately after
- July 29, 5 p.m. — Voting window closes
- July 30 — Results announced and sent to the Secretary of State
If three or more candidates remain formally in contention, the SCC uses ranked-choice voting
More Info
- Process overview: nmdemocrats.org/lieutenant-vacancy-process
- Key dates: SCC vote opens, July 25, noon; voting closes, July 29, 5 p.m.; results, July 30
Kevin Hendricks is an editor with nm.news where he oversees Sandoval County newsrooms. A native of Southeast ABQ, he reported for the ABQ Journal and Rio Rancho Observer before joining nm.news in 2024.
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