Biden’s withdrawal and the presidential ballot in New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. — With less than four months left until the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the ballot is going to look different than previously thought.

President Joe Biden announced he won’t seek reelection any further, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.

The move fueled speculation and questions about the ballot in November. Is there enough time for Democrats to do this? What will it take to get a new name on the ballot?

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver weighed in Monday, stating the ballot deadline hasn’t passed yet.

“New Mexico follows major party rules for the selection of presidential candidates. As long as they meet the ballot deadline of August 27, 2024 [per NMSA 1-8-8], whoever is nominated for president at the upcoming Democratic Convention will appear on New Mexico’s General Election ballot,” Toulouse Oliver stated.

Biden won the Democratic primary in June. What implications does his withdrawal have on that?

“Democratic voters voted to allocate delegates to the Democratic Convention where the formal nomination will take place. Now that Biden has withdrawn from the race, he will release his pledged delegates who will choose how they wish to allocate their votes at the convention, along with the unpledged delegates,” Toulouse Oliver stated.

Could there be another primary election with a new slate of candidates? Short answer: No.

“State law does not provide for holding another Primary Election, nor would another Primary Election be necessary under the Democratic Party Rules governing delegates,” Toulouse Oliver stated.

The secretary of state said that Biden’s campaign will need to file a notarized statement of withdrawal as a candidate to their office by August 27 to get his name off of the ballot.