The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday upheld the state’s system of closed primary elections, ruling the practice is constitutional and not overly burdensome. The decision means primary elections can continue to be closed to voters who aren’t registered as members of the political parties with candidates on the ballot. That means other voters, including those who decline to state a party affiliation, can vote in only general elections. The Supreme Court’s ruling, however, may not be the last word on the issue. The state Legislature is considering legislation to open primary elections to all voters. Albuquerque lawyer David Crum, who brought the case before the Supreme Court, had argued closed primaries violate the state constitution’s guarantee of free and open elections.
Writing for a unanimous court, Justice Edward Chávez said requiring voters to register with a political party in order to vote in primary elections was not overly taxing and instead helped to preserve the “purity” of the election process and protect against abuses to the system. The court said the system also does not limit any particular class of residents from voting.
Citing a case from the Missouri Supreme Court, Chávez wrote that requiring elections to be free and open “does not mean that there cannot be reasonable regulations of elections in the interest of good citizenship and honest government.”
The court said Crum and other independent voters can choose to register with the party closest to their policy interests solely for a primary election. State law does not limit an individual’s ability to shift party registration after a primary election.
Full Article: State Supreme Court upholds closed primaries – The Santa Fe New Mexican: Local News.