Strengthen Democracy
More than any time in living memory, the foundation of our democracy is under attack. Republican legislators at the state and federal level, modeling themselves after a corrupt, autocratic-leaning former president, are using his “big lie” as an excuse to curtail voting rights and block the wishes of the majority of Americans. Protecting democracy is our group’s overriding priority.
SUPPORT VOTER RIGHTS
Voter rights in New Mexico are well-protected, thanks to the enactment in 2023 of House Bill 4. We support a permanent absentee voter list like the one described in the 2023 Senate Bill (SB101) so that voters don’t have to request a mail-in ballot every year.
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Take Action
END THE FILIBUSTER
The filibuster in the US Senate is an anti-democratic holdover from the Jim Crow era that undermines majority rule. The New Mexico Senate has the right to filibuster, too, which makes it easy in our short sessions to run out the clock to avoid passing legislation.
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MODERNIZE THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE
New Mexico’s legislature is the only state governing body in our country whose legislators are unsalaried. Many New Mexicans who might like to serve cannot afford to hold an unpaid position. As a result, our legislature does not necessarily reflect New Mexico’s diverse population. Legislative sessions of 30 and 60 days in alternating years are among the shortest in the US. Our representatives need more time to write, debate and pass new laws as well as have a paid, year-round staff and office space in their districts.
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Take Action
- Sign Common Cause’s petition and share the petition with friends
- Volunteer to participate in Common Cause’s brainstorming sessions to strategize on how to get New Mexicans to support modernization of the legislature and its campaign to educate voters on why this is so important
- Meet with or write to your NM representatives to urge them to support modernization. Ask them what you can do.
