New Mexico
New Mexico needs semi-open primary elections. Our voters, and our democracy, deserve it
The numbers are alarming.
In 2024, only 17% of registered voters in New Mexico cast their ballots in the state’s primary elections. More than 300,000 registered New Mexican voters—roughly a quarter of the state’s registered voting population—are currently blocked outright from participating in primaries.
Those are not a pair of percentages that indicate significant levels of voter participation in New Mexico. And they certainly do not point to a democracy that is representative of the residents of our state.
Opening up primary elections by allowing voters registered as independent or unaffiliated—about 25% of New Mexico’s voting populous—to participate in primaries is one meaningful measure the state should take to improve its voter participation rates and, in turn, its democracy.
More specifically, New Mexico should adopt semi-open primaries. In closed primaries, only folks registered with one of the two major parties in the state, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, can vote in primaries. Semi-open primary elections allow voters registered as independent, minor party voters, or those without a party altogether, to vote in primaries by selecting a ballot from one of the two major parties.
New Mexico certainly would not be alone in partially opening up its primary elections. In fact, 38 states have some form of open primary elections, meaning only 12 states—including New Mexico—currently run totally closed primaries.
New Mexico should add its name to the long list of other states that let all registered voters participate in consequential elections.
Studies have shown the democratic benefits of open primaries are numerous. Fundamentally, closed elections restrict large portions of eligible voting populations from taking part in taxpayer-funded elections they pay for.
This disenfranchisement means that the vast majority of general elections are left unrepresentative. Politicians become comfortable pandering directly to the top 3% of major party voters, instead of truly representing all segments of their constituents.
Downstream from that disenfranchisement and political stagnation is voter apathy. Because partisan activists and special interest groups are given disproportionate electoral power, folks not associated with major parties or who classify themselves independent have little motivation to make their voices heard in closed primary systems.
New Mexico has seen these effects. The state has the highest number of uncompetitive districts in the U.S, meaning the winners of the general election are decided in the primaries, where over 300,000 people can’t vote without added barriers.
Lack of electoral competition and low voter participation all make meaningful change difficult in New Mexico. Minimal voter participation means many of the people most affected by various issues aren’t making their voices heard at the ballot box.
Thankfully, there is a national movement to open up primary elections—a movement that extends into the Land of Enchantment. You can join the movement for open primaries and, in turn, a better democracy in New Mexico by calling your elected officials and urging them to support legislation for semi-open primaries during the 2025 legislative session. You can also champion democracy in your communities by sharing the benefits of semi-open primary elections with your friends, acquaintances, colleagues, neighbors, and loved ones. Everyone is better off when more people are empowered to vote.
You can learn more about this issue and other ways to participate in opening up primary elections in New Mexico at NMVotersFirst.org.
Sen. Carrie Hamblen represents District 38 and Doña Ana County in the New Mexico Senate.
New Mexico
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Photo CourtesyLAPS
LAHS junior Tate Plohr and freshman Linus Plohr qualified to attend the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Middle School student Branden Keller was awarded the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair. Photo Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Twenty students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) competed, with several garnering awards at the 2026 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.
LAHS junior Tate Plohr qualified to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next month in Phoenix, Ariz. He was awarded the 3rd-place Grand Award. Freshman Linus Plohr qualified as an alternate and will also be attending the Regeneron ISEF.
Students who participated in the state competition include, from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Sydney Chen, Mary Beth Kelsey, Lily Neale, Aurora Roberts Voss and Henry Rodarte; and Glyn Lo and Ernest Maupin, Mountain Elementary.
Students from LAMS who competed include Evelyn Fobes, Mason Garcia, Andrew Gilbertson, James Junghans, Sequoya Ke, Brandon Keller, Nejan Liyanage and Daniel Yampolsky.
LAHS students Julia Neale, Linus Plohr, Tate Plohr, Lilia Veteva, Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch competed at the senior level.
2026 Award winners:
Category Awards – Junior Division
- Animal Science, Cellular & Molecular
- Biomedical & Health Science
- Honorable Mention: Sequoya Ke
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, Software & Technology
- 2nd place: Nejan Liyanage
- Physics & Astronomy
- 1st place: Sydney Chen
- 2nd place: Mason Garcia
- Honorable Mention: Marybeth Kelsey
- Plant Science
Category Awards – Senior Division
- Behavioral & Social Science:
- Honorable Mention: Linus Plohr
- Earth & Environmental
- Honorable Mention: Lilia Viteva
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, & System Software
- 3rd Place: Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch
- Physics & Astronomy
Grand Awards
- ISEF finalist 3rd place: Tate Plohr
- Brandon Keller received the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. James Jungans and Marybeth Kelsey garnered Thermo Fisher Awards.
Other special award winners include:
- CO2 & Greenhouse Reduction Awards (Junior Division)
- Daniel Yampolsky, 2nd place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Sequoya Ke, 1st place, Biomedical & Health Science
- Brandon Keller, 1st place, Energy & Materials Science
- Andrew Gilbertson, 1st place, Physics & Astronomy
- CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award (Senior Division)
- Lilia Viteva, 1st place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Office of Naval Research Award
- David Shortess Award
- New Mexico AVS Award
- Citadel Award
- Naval Research Award
- NM Network for Women in Science & Engineering Award
- Yale Science & Engineering Award
- Rose Baca Rivet Award
Related
Arizona State baseball will host a four-game homestand, beginning with New Mexico State on Wednesday, April 22.
The Sun Devils and Aggies faced each other in late March, with ASU winning 10-4. The two teams will meet for the final time at 6:35 p.m. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
ASU will then welcome Baylor on Friday, April 24, for a three-game series. The Sun Devils have yet to face the Bears this season, but ASU has been doing well so far and has been in the top 25 for four weeks.
Sophomore center fielder Landon Hairston earned Big 12 player of the week honors on April 13, after delivering five home runs in five games. His 10 runs in that stretch were tied for the second-most nationally and his 14 runs batted in were tied for third-most nationally. All nine of his hits went for extra bases, three more than any other player.
ASU’s series against Baylor will start at 6:35 p.m. for the first two games, followed by a 1:05 p.m. start on Sunday, April 26.
April 19
Softball at Houston, Cougar Softball Stadium, noon.
April 22
Baseball vs New Mexico State, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
April 23
Women’s golf at Big 12 Championship, Dallas Athletic Club, TBA.
Track and field at Penn Relays, Franklin Field, 1:22 p.m.
Beach volleyball at Big 12 Championship, Bear Down Beach, all day.
April 24
Baseball vs Baylor, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Softball vs Texas Tech, Farrington Stadium, 7 p.m.
April 25
Lacrosse at Colorado, Prentup Field, 11 a.m.
Softball vs Texas Tech, Farrington Stadium, 3 p.m.
Baseball vs Baylor, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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Josh’s Saturday Night Forecast
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Calmer weather has moved back into the state this afternoon. Temperatures are slightly warmer across northwestern New Mexico, while southeastern areas are cooler thanks to the backdoor cold fronts that moved in on Friday. Breezier winds will return Sunday and will help kick off a warming trend across the state, along with an elevated fire threat in eastern New Mexico.
Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground.
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