New Mexico voters to decide if state lawmakers should receive salaries
New Mexico voters will decide at the ballot box whether to grant compensation to state lawmakers. Constitutional Amendment 4 would create annual pay for members of the House and Senate. The state currently operates the only completely volunteer legislature in the United States.
Political analyst Gabe Sanchez explained that New Mexico stands apart from every other state legislature. “The fact that we are the only state that has a completely volunteer legislature, we stick out a little bit,” Sanchez said.
If passed, the measure would give lawmakers an annual amount equal to the median household income. That equals about $68,000 each year for each lawmaker serving in Santa Fe. They would also keep receiving current mileage reimbursements and per diem payments.
Supporters believe compensation will allow lawmakers to treat the position as full-time work instead of side duties. “Professionalized legislatures, including those that pay folks a salary, tend to be more effective, particularly in passing legislation,” Sanchez said.
Other residents worry that offering earnings might attract individuals who pursue politics solely as a career path. Sanchez noted this shift could alter candidate motivations during legislative elections across communities like Ruidoso.
“Moving from a completely volunteer legislature to one where folks are paid might change the makeup of the type of people that we get interested in running for office in the first place,” Sanchez said.
The proposed amendment could lead to broader changes for how state government operates in Santa Fe. Sanchez noted the policy debate involves expanded legislative staff and the possible start of full-time sessions.
“I think it’s an overall conversation really about whether or not we should have a volunteer legislature or moving to more of a professionalized one, where paying legislators is maybe just the first step in a broader conversation about moving to full-time legislative sessions, thinking about wider staffs at the legislative level, et cetera.”
Recent research indicates that voters also connect lawmaker pay with broader government ethics reform. State legislators have participated in the public employee pension system since 1963.
“So I think this is the complexity of how New Mexican voters think about things. If we’re going to make them no longer volunteers and pay them, shouldn’t they be held to a higher ethical standard?” Sanchez said.
A constitutional amendment requires approval from a majority of statewide voters to take effect. The measure alters the state constitution to establish formal compensation rules for elected representatives. Voters consider these statewide ballot measures alongside regular candidate races during general elections.
Early voting is now underway. Election Day is November 3.
