New Mexico Bond Question B, Public Libraries Bond Issue (2020)

New Mexico Bond Question B
Election date November 3, 2020
Topic Bond issues
Status a Approved
Type Bond issue	Origin State Legislature
List of New Mexico measuresNew Mexico Constitutional Amendment 1New Mexico Constitutional Amendment 2New Mexico Bond Question ANew Mexico Bond Question BNew Mexico Bond Question CSubmit

New Mexico Bond Question B, the Public Libraries Bond Issue was on the ballot in New Mexico as a legislatively referred bond question on November 3, 2020. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported authorizing the sale and issuance of $9.7 million in bonds for public library improvements.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing the sale and issuance of $9.7 million in bonds for public library improvements.

Bond Question B was passed by the New Mexico Legislature as a bond package. The package included $33.29 million in bonds for senior citizens' facilities and $156.3 million in bonds for public higher education institutions. The total amount of the bonds was $199 million.

Election results

New Mexico Bond Question B
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		535,150	66.25%
No		272,681	33.75%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What was the bond for?

See also: Text of measure

Bond Question B issued no more than $9.7 million in general obligation bonds for library improvements at public libraries, public school libraries, academic libraries and tribal libraries statewide. A general obligation bond is public debt and is paid for through state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico. The bond measure was allocated as follows:

Click show to expand the bond revenue table.

New Mexico Public Libraries Bond (2020)
Recipient	Amount
Cultural Affairs Department	$3,500,000
Higher Education Department	$3,000,000
Public Education Department	$3,000,000

What is the history of bond measures in New Mexico?

See also: Background

Voters of New Mexico cast ballots on 25 bond issues, totaling $1.2 billion in value, between January 1, 2006, and January 1, 2020. All but one bond issue question—a $155.57 million bond for higher education—was approved. As of June 30, 2018, the state debt from general obligation bonds was $502.85 million and the state debt from general obligation bonds per state resident was $239.88. Both the general obligation bond debt and per resident bond debt in 2018 were higher than amounts (in current dollars) from the prior decade.

Text of the measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:

“

The 2020 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed nine million seven hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred thirty-three dollars ($9,751,433) to make capital expenditures for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law?

”

Full text

The full text of the measure can be found here.

Fiscal impact statement

The following fiscal impact statement was included in the 2020 General Election Voter Guide:

“

According to revenue estimators, general obligation bond (GOB) capacity is approximately $199,200,000, or approximately 0.29 percent of net taxable value of property. Authorizing no more than the stated capacity maintains a flat mill levy. Issuance and sale of general obligation bonds requires approval by the electorate at the November 2020 general election. General obligation bonds are payable from ad valorem (property) taxes levied on all property in the state subject to property taxation. The bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the state. If approved by the voters, the general obligation bonds are expected to be issued by the State Board of Finance in January or February 2021. If the general obligation bonds are ratified by the voters, and issued in January or February 2021, funds authorized in this bill will be available to the recipients in the spring of 2021. The state agencies and state institutions to which money has been appropriated in this bill shall be responsible for monitoring the projects funded in the bill to ensure compliance with the laws and Constitution of New Mexico and shall cause to be reverted any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the earlier of the third full fiscal year after issuance of the bonds or the termination or completion of the specific project. Reverted funds shall be deposited in the debt service fund established by the state treasurer for the purpose of paying the principal and interest on the state’s general obligation bonds. The total for all three questions, including bond issuance costs, is $199,200,000. Based on the assumption that all three bond issues will be passed by voters, the property tax year 2020 mill levy has been set at 1.36 mills, which is the same as the 2018 and 2019 rates. The State Board of Finance estimates that over a ten-year period, the three issues on the ballot would cost approximately $10.99 per $100,000 of asset value. Of the annual average $10.99, Bond Issue A accounts for $1.83, Bond Issue B accounts for $0.54, and Bond Issue C accounts for $8.62. A complete breakdown of the designated projects under each bond issue can be found on the New Mexico Legislature’s website: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/20%20Regular/final/SB0207.pdf Source: NM Department of Finance and Administration.

”

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure. The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 25, and the FRE is 4. The word count for the ballot title is 97, and the estimated reading time is 25 seconds.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• New Mexico State Senator George Munoz (D)
• New Mexico State Senator Steven Neville (R)
• New Mexico State Senator John Arthur Smith (D)

Arguments

• New Mexico State Senator Steven Neville (R): "Our General Obligation Bonds are on our biennial election ballot and serve to provide necessary funding for most of the state infrastructure needs of universities, senior centers, and libraries among other things. As an ongoing activity, taxes remain stable while allowing funding for necessary improvements. Without these bonds, our institutions would slowly decline."

Opposition

If you are aware of any opponents or opposing arguments that should be included here, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Arguments

• Jess Ward, the state affairs director for the National Taxpayers Union: "This referendum will have New Mexicans determine whether to approve $195.8 million in bonding for senior center enhancements, library acquisitions, and higher education improvements. ... Voters, too, should be mindful not to overextend future tax dollars, and they should reject all three ballot bonding questions. They must prioritize smart budgeting now and postpone nonessential spending to the greatest extent possible. We may not know how steep the decline in state revenues will be in the coming months. But the more debt obligated to the taxpayer, the greater the uphill battle."

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for New Mexico ballot measures

There were no ballot measure committees registered in support of the measure or in opposition to the measure.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

Background

Bond issues on the ballot in New Mexico

See also: Bond issues on the ballot

Voters of New Mexico cast ballots on 25 bond issues, totaling approximately $1.2 billion in value, from January 1, 2006, through January 1, 2020. All but one bond issue, a $155.57 million bond in 2010 to provide capital expenditures for higher education and special schools, was approved. This means that voters in New Mexico approved 96 percent of bond issues on the ballot between 2006 and 2018.

The following table contains information on the 25 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in New Mexico between January 1, 2006, through January 1, 2020:

Year	Measure	Amount	Primary purpose	Outcome
2006	Question A	$15,958,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2006	Question B	$118,360,000	Higher education	a
2006	Question C	$9,090,000	Public libraries	a
2008	Question A	$14,725,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2008	Question B	$11,019,000	Public libraries	a
2008	Question C	$57,925,000	Health facilities	a
2008	Question D	$140,133,000	Higher education	a
2010	Question A	$7,790,320	Senior citizen facilities	a
2010	Question B	$7,082,110	Public libraries	a
2010	Question C	$5,100,000	K-12 education	a
2010	Question D	$155,567,824	Higher education	d
2012	Question A	$10,335,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2012	Question B	$9,830,000	Public libraries	a
2012	Question C	$120,000,000	Higher education	a
2014	Question A	$17,000,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2014	Question B	$11,000,000	Public libraries	a
2014	Question C	$141,000,000	Higher education	a
2016	Question A	$15,440,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2016	Question B	$10,167,000	Public libraries	a
2016	Question C	$142,356,000	Higher education	a
2016	Question D	$18,196,000	Public safety facilities	a
2018	Question A	$10,700,000	Senior citizen facilities	a
2018	Question B	$12,876,000	Public libraries	a
2018	Question C	$6,137,000	School buses	a
2018	Question D	$128,405,000	Higher education	a

General obligation bond debt

The New Mexico state treasurer provides an overview of the state’s debt resulting from general obligation bonds, which include all voter-approved bonds, each year on June 30. A general obligation bond is public debt and is paid for through state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico.

According to the state treasurer's overview on June 30, 2018, New Mexico had $502.86 million in debt from general obligation bonds. The June 2018 debt from general obligation bonds was higher than the June 2017 debt, which was $300.17 million. The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds between June 30, 1998, and June 30, 2018:

Using population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Ballotpedia calculated the per person amount of general obligation bond debt in New Mexico by year. On June 30, 2018, the general obligation bond debt per New Mexican resident was $239.88. On June 30, 2017, the per person debt was $143.76. Between 1998 and 2018, the per person debt peaked in 2018. The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds per New Mexican resident between June 30, 1998, and June 30, 2018:

Path to the ballot

See also: Legislatively-referred state statute

In New Mexico, both chambers of the New Mexico State Legislature need to approve a bond issue by a simple majority during one legislative session to refer the bond measure to the ballot for voter consideration.

Bond Question B was introduced into the state legislature as Senate Bill 207 (SB 207) during the 2020 legislative session. On February 18, 2020, the New Mexico Senate approved the bond measure 41 to 0 with one member excused from voting. On February 20, 2020, the New Mexico House of Representatives approved SB 207 in a vote of 66 to 0 with four members excused. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed the bond issue on March 11, 2020.

Vote in the New Mexico State Senate February 18, 2020
Requirement: Simple majority of those voting in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 22  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	41	0	1
Total percent	97.62%	0.00%	2.38%
Democrat	25	0	1
Republican	16	0	0

Vote in the New Mexico House of Representatives February 20, 2020
Requirement: Simple majority of those voting in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 36  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	66	0	4
Total percent	94.29%	0.00%	5.71%
Democrat	43	0	3
Republican	23	0	1

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in New Mexico

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in New Mexico.

How to cast a vote in New Mexico

The information below covers regular voting policies in the state. Information may have not applied to the election on November 3, 2020, because of temporary changes in response to coronavirus. Click here to read about changes made for the 2020 elections. Poll times In New Mexico, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Election Day. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Registration requirements Check your voter registration status here. To register to vote in New Mexico, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of New Mexico, and at least 18 years old by the time of the next election. People convicted of a felony are eligible to vote after their prison time is completed, even if they are still on probation, parole, or another form of supervised release. Individuals who have been declared mentally incapacitated may not register to vote. Potential New Mexico voters who were not registered automatically may use the New Mexico voter registration form or national voter registration form to register. Completed registration materials may be mailed or delivered by hand to election officials. First-time applicants by mail must attach a valid form of identification to their registration materials. Registration can also be completed online. Automatic registration New Mexico allows automatic voter registration. Eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they interact with a department of motor vehicles unless they opt out. Online registration See also: Online voter registration New Mexico has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration New Mexico allows same-day voter registration. Residency requirements In New Mexico, individuals can register to vote as soon as they become residents of the state. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States New Mexico does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirements New Mexico does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. However, if an individual registered to vote for the first time by mail and did not provide verification of his or her identity then, the voter will have to show identification. Those voters can present the following forms of identification: Current and valid photo identification Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, student identification card, or other government document, including identification issued by an Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo that shows the voter’s name and current address Some municipalities require identification when voting in local elections. Click here for more information.

See also

2020 measures

• 2020 ballot measures
• Bond issue on the ballot

New Mexico

• New Mexico ballot measures
• New Mexico ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Full Text
• 2020 General Election Voter Guide