N.M. Admin. Code § 1.10.14.9

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 23, December 10, 2024

Section 1.10.14.9 - TABULATION FOR SINGLE WINNER ELECTION

A. In the first round every ballot shall count as a vote towards the first choice candidate. During each successive round of counting, each continuing ballot contains one vote. All first choices are votes and lower ranked choices are potential runoff votes that may, in accordance with the requirements of this section, become votes and subsequently credited to a continuing candidate.

B. After any round, if any candidate receives a majority of votes in that round, that candidate shall be declared the winner and the tabulation is complete.

C. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in that round, the candidate receiving the fewest number of votes shall be eliminated.

D. Ballots for which a vote counted towards a now eliminated candidate shall be transferred to the next ranked continuing candidate. All the continuing ballots for all continuing candidates shall be counted again in a new round.

E. If after the first round of transferring votes, no continuing candidate has received a majority of votes, the process of eliminating candidates, transferring votes, and tabulating revised results shall continue until one continuing candidate receives a majority of the votes cast.

F. If a tie between candidates occurs at any stage in the tabulation, the tie shall be resolved in favor of the candidate who received the greatest number of combined first choice votes and transferred votes at the previous stage of tabulation. If the first round tabulation results in a tie between candidates, the tie shall be resolved against the candidate who received the least number of combined second choice votes.

G. In tabulating duplicate rankings, the highest ranking for the candidate is valid and any lower rankings of that candidate shall be ignored.

H. In tabulating an overvote, the voter's rankings shall be counted in order of preference, stopping at the point where the ballot contains the same ranking for more than one candidate.

I. In tabulating a skipped ranking, the skipped ranking will be ignored and the next indicated ranking on that ballot will be valid.

N.M. Admin. Code § 1.10.14.9

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXX, Issue 17, September 10, 2019, eff. 9/10/2019