New Mexico held its general election on November 8, 2022, deciding 70 legislative seats and 7 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control. The Senate was not up for regular election this cycle.
Highlights
- Democrats kept their trifecta intact: the governor won a second term, and the House majority held essentially steady.
- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) defeated Mark Ronchetti (R) by about 6 points after a bruising, ad-heavy campaign in which she ran on protecting abortion access and Ronchetti ran on crime. Lt. Gov. Howie Morales (D) returned on her ticket.
- The House held its Democratic majority on the first map drawn after the 2020 census, with the 5 seats that changed party largely canceling out:
- Republicans took two open seats: District 23 in the Corrales area, already Republican leaning under a Democratic incumbent, won by Alan Martinez (R), and District 66 in eastern New Mexico, won by Jimmy Mason (R) in the easiest Republican pickup after Rep. Phelps Anderson, a Republican-turned-independent, retired.
- Democrats answered with Tara Jaramillo (D) in the open District 38, Republican-held since 1969, by about 120 votes.
- Two incumbents lost: Rep. Candie G. Sweetser (D) fell to Jenifer Jones (R) in District 32 by fewer than 50 votes, and Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert (R) lost District 44 to Kathleen Cates (D) by about 300 votes.
- Recounts confirmed the election-night results in District 32 and in District 68, where Charlotte Little (D) edged Robert Moss (R) by 35 votes.
- Democrats also carried the rest of the statewide ticket. District Attorney Raúl Torrez (D) won the open attorney general seat over Jeremy Gay (R) by about 11 points, and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) won a second term over Audrey Trujillo (R) by about 12. Laura Montoya (D) took the open treasurer's office over Harry Montoya (R), and Joseph M. Maestas (D) won the open auditor's seat against a Libertarian, with no Republican on the ballot.
- In 30 House races, one major party fielded no candidate.
- Voters approved all 6 statewide measures. The headliner, Constitutional Amendment 1, passed with about 70% after a decade-long fight to draw more from the Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood and public schools. The others were bonds for senior centers, public libraries, and higher education and tribal schools, plus Amendment 2 on funding residential infrastructure such as internet and water and Amendment 3 on when appointed judges first face voters.
Legislature
- House (70 seats): 44 D, 25 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 45 D, 25 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
- Senate (42 seats): 27 D, 15 R before the election, 27 D, 15 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Bond Question 1 | Issue $24.47 million in bonds for senior citizen facility improvements | Passed (66% yes) |
| Bond Question 2 | Issue $19.27 million in bonds for public libraries | Passed (63% yes) |
| Bond Question 3 | Issue $215.99 million in bonds for public higher education institutions, special public schools, and tribal schools | Passed (61% yes) |
| Constitutional Amendment 1 | Allocate 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the money in the Land Grant Permanent Fund to early childhood education and the public school permanent fund | Passed (70% yes) |
| Constitutional Amendment 2 | Authorize the Legislature to provide funds for infrastructure for residential services, such as internet, electric, gas, water, and wastewater | Passed (65% yes) |
| Constitutional Amendment 3 | Provide that an appointed judge be up for election at the first general election one year after appointment | Passed (69% yes) |