New Mexico Mercury

A little over a year ago, I wrote an essay for the New Mexico Mercury entitled, “Why progressives should welcome independents into Democratic primaries.” As this issue has become more visible in recent weeks, and as I find myself advocating for this position, I was asked recently how I came to this strongly held belief. For all of us who run for public office, each election (win or lose) has its share of lessons to be learned. For me, as one who originally came into office as a Democrat in a Republican leaning House District (first in 2008, then holding House District 15 in the nightmare election of 2010), it has been all about the Independent voter. They are an enigmatic bunch, as a whole, but in truly competitive legislative districts they hold the key to winning or losing. I won this sector handily in the Obama wave of 2008, and did not do so well with them in the Martinez wave of 2010. For as many conversations at the doorstep that I have had with this increasing number of "unaffiliated" voters, I cannot really define them as a group. Some lean Democrat, some lean Republican, but their increasing importance in our electoral landscape should not be minimized. And the notion that they are somehow not as politically engaged as their partisan counterparts is just not true--they read the papers they watch the news, they care.

Surely there are a range of electoral reforms that would serve New Mexico well, and that I will continue to advocate for as a State Senator: the establishment of an independent re-districting commission to address the problem of gerrymandering, for example. The passage of same-day voter registration. A two-year cooling off period before an elected official can become a lobbyist. And of course the opening up of our party primaries to Independent and Decline to State (DTS) voters.

To update this essay from over a year ago, we just concluded a June 2014 primary that witnessed a 20.2% turnout in our New Mexico primary elections. When I went to vote at Taylor Middle School in my Alameda home precinct, there was literally no one there besides our faithful poll workers-- and this was at a presumed high turnout time, 5:30, after work. As an active Democrat and an office holder, this troubled me. 20 years ago, in the same kind of midterm election, 47.5% my fellow Democrats voted in that year's June 1994 primary election.

The uptick in voters who register as "unaffiliated" since 1994 is impossible not to notice, especially among voters under 35--indeed, over 20% of New Mexico voters have opted for this Independent/DTS status, or over 240,000 of our registered voters.  This is a voting block that we as Democrats ignore at our own peril, especially in swing districts which will likely determine whether or not we hold the State House chamber in our upcoming November election. The irony to me here is that as Democrats I cannot help but feel that we have a natural edge on winning over these unaffiliated voters, with our Democratic message of raising the minimum wage, protecting gay marriage, loosening marijuana laws, and supporting our teachers in the face of Martinez-led Draconian education reforms.

Accordingly, Democratic State Representative Emily Kane and I will be sponsoring legislation in January to open our primaries up to Independents and DTS voters ONLY (this is not Republicans voting in Dem primaries, and vice versa). As partisan Dems both Rep Kane and I like our chances with this important voting block, and beyond that we both feel that our political system is made stronger by virtue of how many citizens actually vote in our primary and general elections (we would also point out that the NM taxpayer foots the bill for these elections, by the way). After our press conference last week announcing this plan--along with State Rep Moe Maestas and Secretary Of State candidate Maggie Toulouse Oliver--I received a number of differing responses from my District 13 Democratic constituents, who are understandably concerned about possible shenanigans that could ensue by opening up our primaries to outsiders. Of course there are always unforeseen consequences in any new direction, and I cannot help but respect the service (& opinions) of our devoted party regulars who chair the wards, make the calls at election time, and who are true blue New Mexico Dems. 

But I cannot help but get back to the 20.2% turnout in June, and the feeling that I had there in the Alameda voting location: we can do better than this, at least, and at the same time not sacrifice our time-honored traditions in our state's Democratic party. One constituent understandably asked me if there were examples from other states who have moved in this direction, and data to reflect the results?

Let us consider our neighboring state of Arizona (here just ignore the scowling Governor Jan Brewer, and the tantrum-inclined Senator McCain; Arizona has actually instituted a range of electoral reforms, including an independent redistricting commission). In 1998, after having witnessed a 19.6% turnout in their primary election, Arizona passed a constitutional amendment opening up their primaries to unaffiliated voters-- the same kind of limited open primary that Rep Kane and I are calling for. As a result, in the next election (2000 )the primary turnout went up to 24%, and by 2010 it had increased to a solid 30%.

Another interesting thing happened after our press conference last week: Governor Martinez suddenly proclaimed her support for open primaries (in stark contradiction to what her Republican State Chairman had stated earlier in the day). The Governor seemed to imply that she had always supported this position. I am not sure what to make of this sudden enthusiasm for our Democratic initiative, except myself and others are wondering where she has been then on this issue for the past 4 years? What kind of leadership is that? A cynic might see this as evidence of how badly the Republicans want to win the House in November. 

Regardless of the inevitable political back and forth, this course feels like the right one to take. The fact that Common Cause, Progress Now, The League of Women Voters, Dede Feldman, Rep Mimi Stewart and a number of other important voices support this direction should not go unnoticed. Are we not the true party of inclusion, of voter participation? We as Democrats do not concoct Voter ID laws to suppress the vote, or come up with election year purging of the voter rolls. To us, participation is a good thing--across the board--and we back it up.

(Photo by Robert Neff)