New Mexico voters approve paying state legislators

New Mexico lawmakers will have the option to receive salaries starting in 2029, following voter approval of Constitutional Amendment 4.

According to preliminary voting totals from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, 62% of voters cast ballots in favor of the amendment, compared to 38% who were opposed. 

“New Mexicans today have rejected the status quo, and opened the door to a government that reflects their lived experience and the challenges they face every day. This vote is a historic step toward a more representative and accountable Legislature,” Eli Cuna, Vote for Change campaign manager said in a statement. “By tying lawmakers’ pay to New Mexico’s median household income, we’re creating a stronger connection between the people making decisions in Santa Fe and the families those decisions affect. This victory belongs to working families all across New Mexico who are eager to have a seat at the table and represent their communities to build a thriving state.”

New Mexico Election 2026: Constitutional Amendment 4

The amendment question asked voters whether they were for or against allowing New Mexico lawmakers to receive compensation equal to the state’s median household income, which is currently $67,800, according to U.S. Census figures. For 112 state lawmakers, the annual cost to taxpayers will be about $7.6 million.

Advocates pushed the amendment in a yearslong effort, saying the lack of salary means that qualified, community-oriented individuals can’t financially justify running for office. They said paying lawmakers salaries could make lawmakers less beholden to well-financed lobbyists offering expensive meals or other perks. 

The coalition also sees paying salaries as a key step in a broader “modernization” push at the Legislature, along with changes such as hiring paid district legislative aides, which state lawmakers began doing in 2024, and extending the legislative session beyond 30 days or 60 days.

Opponents, however, said the proposed salary is too high and were not convinced the money would actually lead to better policy. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the  proposed New Mexico salary is higher than the national average salary for lawmakers at  $44,320. Lawmakers in New Mexico’s neighboring states of Texas, Colorado and Arizona also receive salaries of significantly less than what New Mexico lawmakers would receive.

While New Mexico lawmakers do not receive a salary, they do receive per diem payments for costs associated with the annual legislative session and committee meetings in the interim. Lawmakers are also eligible to receive pensions after leaving office. 

The question’s victory on the November ballot marks the final step in a yearslong effort. The Legislature at the session earlier this year voted largely along party lines to approve House Joint Resolution 5, which puts the question of legislative salaries before voters.