Candidates & Campaigns

Public Financing Guide and forms will be released in August 2021

Certification Process

Upon receipt of a final submittal of qualifying contributions by an applicant candidate, the SOS shall determine from the applicant candidate’s statement whether the applicant candidate has:

1. signed and filed a declaration of intent to obtain financing pursuant to the Voter Action Act in accordance with the requirements of that act;
2. collected and submitted the appropriate number of qualifying contributions after filing a declaration of intent;
3. met the qualifications to be a candidate pursuant to other applicable state election law;
4. complied with contribution and expenditure restrictions; and
5. otherwise met the requirements for obtaining financing pursuant to the Voter Action Act.

Our office will happily assist applicant candidates and their campaign committees with the certification process for public financing. The New Mexico Public Financing Guide for the 2020 Election Cycle will be available on August 30, 2019.  If you are pursuing public financing, we strongly suggest you review both the VAA and the New Mexico Public Financing Guide for the 2020 Election Cycle before beginning the process.

If you are an interested candidate you must begin by submitting the 2020 Applicant Candidate Declaration of Intent to the SOS. Prior to accepting contributions of more than $100 from any one contributor, please reference NMSA 1978, Section 1-19A-3(D).

• 2020 Applicant Candidate Declaration of Intent

For further information, please contact the ethics staff of the Bureau of Elections:

New Mexico Bureau of Elections – Ethics Staff
Telephone: (505) 827-3600 / (800) 477-3632
Email:  sos.ethics@state.nm.us