New Mexico voters will decide on Constitutional Amendment 3 in the upcoming November ballot. The proposed amendment, if passed, would permit the Dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law to appoint a designee to chair judicial nominating commissions when necessary.

The Dean would retain oversight of all judicial nominating commissions and continue to chair most of them. However, this change would allow for the appointment of a faculty member, retired faculty member, associate dean, or former dean from the UNM School of Law to take over chairing duties if the Dean is unwell or required at the School for urgent matters.

The full text of the proposed amendment can be accessed at https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/24%20Regular/final/SJR01.pdf.