New Mexico ballot measure · November 3, 2026
New Mexico Bond Question 1, explained
Senior citizen facility bonds. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wordingWhat appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
The 2026 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed twenty-one million five hundred eighty-two thousand two hundred thirteen dollars ($21,582,213) to make capital expenditures for certain senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition projects 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?
What it actually means
This asks the state to borrow up to $21.58 million to build, renovate and equip senior centres and other senior citizen facilities around New Mexico. The list of specific projects is set out in House Bill 248, the 2026 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act, which the Legislature passed without a dissenting vote. General obligation bonds are repaid out of a statewide property tax levy, so a yes vote authorises both the borrowing and the levy that services it.
If you vote YES
- The state may issue up to $21,582,213 in general obligation bonds for senior citizen facility improvement, construction and equipment acquisition.
- The money goes to the specific projects itemised in House Bill 248 — meal vehicles, kitchen and building equipment, renovations and new construction at senior centres, including facilities run by counties, municipalities and tribal governments.
- A statewide property tax levy pays the principal, interest and issuance costs on the bonds.
- Approval of this question does not depend on the other two; each is decided separately.
If you vote NO
- The bonds are not issued and the projects listed in House Bill 248 for senior citizen facilities are not funded from this source.
- No property tax levy is imposed for these particular bonds.
- Senior centres needing repairs or equipment would have to wait for a future bond question, compete for ordinary capital outlay appropriations, or find local funding.
- The other two bond questions are unaffected — a no vote here does not stop the library or higher education bonds.
The numbers that matter
- Maximum authorised
- $21,582,213
- Repayment source
- Statewide general property tax levy
- Legislative vote
- House 65-0, Senate 38-0
Ballot question as set out in House Bill 248, the 2026 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act
Stated in the ballot question itself
New Mexico Legislature, House Bill 248 (2026)
What each side says0 for, 0 against — quoted, not summarised
Why supporters say YES
We found none published in the sources reviewed.
Why opponents say NO
We found none published in the sources reviewed.
What's genuinely uncertain
- No argument is shown here for either side. House Bill 248 passed the House 65-0 and the Senate 38-0, and no campaign committee registered or was located either supporting or opposing the bond questions. Rather than print a case for the bonds with nothing against them, this page shows neither.
- The effect on an individual property tax bill was not stated in any official document we could locate. New Mexico's practice has been to issue new general obligation bonds as older ones are retired, but no official estimate of the levy's effect on a given household was published with the question.
- Which projects are ultimately built can change: the bond act names projects and amounts, but delivery depends on the agencies and local governments that receive the money.
The bottom line
Whether to borrow $21.6 million, repaid by a statewide property tax levy, to repair and equip senior centres now rather than wait for future budgets to cover them.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Sources (3)The numbers in the text above link here
- 12026 General Election: Statewide Constitutional Amendments and General Obligation Bonds — New Mexico Secretary of State — sos.nm.gov
- 2House Bill 248, 2026 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act (final version) — New Mexico Legislature — nmlegis.gov
- 3New Mexico to decide three bond measures in 2026 — Ballotpedia News — news.ballotpedia.org
Checking it against the official text
The New Mexico Secretary of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New Mexico Secretary of State.
Other measures on the New Mexico ballot
- Constitutional Amendment 1 — End the governor's pocket veto and require veto explanations
- Constitutional Amendment 2 — Allow school elections to be held with partisan elections
- Constitutional Amendment 3 — Nominating committees for university boards of regents
- Constitutional Amendment 4 — Salaries for state legislators
- Bond Question 2 — Library acquisition bonds
- Bond Question 3 — Higher education, special schools and tribal schools bonds
Candidates on the same ballot
- U.S. Senate election in New Mexico
- New Mexico governor's race
- New Mexico's 1st congressional district
- New Mexico's 2nd congressional district
- New Mexico's 3rd congressional district