2022 is an election year for New Mexico, which means we’ll be rolling out our endorsements for the Primary soon! First, though, we wanted to tell you about our values-based endorsement process—that way, you get a better understanding of why we choose certain candidates over others.
Our first step involves sending candidates a questionnaire of basic, mostly yes/no questions. Here are a few examples:
Will you oppose policies that prohibit or weaken history lessons by way of banning race-related or LGBTQ inclusive history/social studies lessons?
Will you vote for and champion the NM Voting Rights Act package in its entirety?
The purpose of this questionnaire is to quickly identify candidates who are fully aligned with our non-negotiable values. Candidates must get a 100% in order to move forward to the next step.
If, based on the questionnaire, a candidate is fully aligned with EQNM’s values, they are then interviewed by our Endorsement Committee. We believe that the Committee is truly representative of New Mexico—we have members from all four corners of the state, rural and urban. The Committee is multi-racial, multi-generational, and multi-issue. In fact, many members are advocates and organizers for other organizations that fight for important causes like economic and reproductive justice; we know that members are committed to improving the lives of LGBTQ New Mexicans and other marginalized groups in the state.
After candidate interviews, which serve to dig deeper into each candidate’s beliefs and their dedication to those beliefs, the Endorsement Committee takes time to deliberate. They can pick as many people as they want to endorse—there is no maximum or minimum limit, meaning their choices are truly based on values, not quotas.
The Endorsement Committee’s recommendations then go to our Board of Directors. The Board considers both the questionnaires and the Committee’s recommendations when making the final decision on endorsements.
With our new tiered endorsement system, the Board of Directors is also responsible for distinguishing between Endorsed Candidates and Equality Champions (though the Committee makes recommendations about this as well). Endorsed Candidates are candidates who we believe are aligned with our values and who we plan to count on to be a solid vote for our priorities, but who have not necessarily demonstrated a desire to go above and beyond for LGBTQ liberation.
Equality Champions, on the other hand, are candidates who have already been in a position of power and demonstrated a willingness to go to the mat for EQNM and the LGBTQ community. These are folks who have lobbied behind the scenes, sponsored our bills, worked to include EQNM in key policy discussions, or otherwise prioritized our values and our community with more than just a yes/no vote on a specific bill or policy.
Think of it like tug-of-war. If EQNM is at the rope, fighting for progressive policies to get pulled over the line, our Endorsed Candidates are going to show up at the game and cheer us on. Our Equality Champions are the ones who are going to dig their heels into the mud, grab the rope, and pull with us.
Be on the lookout for our endorsements for the Primary Election, and especially for our Equality Champions! Do you want to help us at the rope, too? Consider donating and/or volunteering with us. We’re so excited to elect dedicated candidates who will join us in the fight for LGBTQ liberation.