SANTA FE, N.M. — For 114 years, New Mexico’s legislature has been the nation’s only fully unsalaried lawmaking body. That could change this November, when voters will weigh a constitutional amendment allowing lawmakers to receive salaries tied to the state’s median income, currently about $67,000.
The state Senate narrowly approved the amendment Tuesday night. If approved by voters, it would mark a major shift from the “citizen legislature” model, which relies on volunteer service and reimburses only travel, meals, and lodging during sessions. Many lawmakers also have access to public pension benefits.
Push for Salaries
The amendment was championed by a group of young female legislators, highlighting the challenges of balancing work, family, and legislative duties.
“Can working parents juggle child care, a mortgage and legislative service? Some of us do, but it’s not sustainable,” said Democratic state Sen. Angel Charley of Acoma, a sponsor of the measure. “When service requires personal wealth or extraordinary sacrifice, representation narrows. … Democracy shrinks.”
Supporters argue that paying lawmakers would make public service more accessible to younger, working-class candidates and allow legislators to dedicate more time to complex policy work without relying on outside income.
Context Across the U.S.
Other states offer salaries that make legislative service a full-time job. New York and California legislators earn over $100,000 annually, while New Hampshire provides a nominal $100 per year. New Mexico’s current system has long been a point of civic pride but faces growing scrutiny as lawmakers struggle to balance political service with personal livelihoods.
Voters will have the final say on whether New Mexico ends its century-long tradition of a volunteer legislature in the November ballot.
