Membership

The strength of our party is rooted in people who volunteer on campaigns, active in their precincts  and leaders in their counties. They are the people who know their fellow precinct and ward members, and who call to remind us of meeting times and places. They are the people we elect at the precinct level to represent us at the County level. The backbone of our party are the Democrats who are endowed by their fellow precinct and county party members with the responsibility of representing their shared interests and values-- they're the 360 Democrats who make up the Democratic Party of New Mexico's greatest asset and source of governing authority, the State Central Committee.

Accordingly, Rule 4 of the Democratic Party of New Mexico's By-laws establishes the State Central Committee as the "supreme governing body" of the party with oversight and control of the political affairs of the party and authority for appropriation of state party funds.

But this authority is not without responsibility. Rule 4-1. B. Financing. also states that "the policy of the DPNM is that its business be financed primarily by contributions from each of its individual members as their means allow" and that the State Central Committee has the responsibility of fulfilling that policy  by maintaining a systematic program for soliciting and collecting such contributions.

Conventional wisdom has been that its the responsibility of the Chair and party employees to raise funds for party operations. While fundraising is a critical component of the Chair's duties, the authority  and power to appropriate those funds still lies with the State Central Committee. And if the purpose of the fundraising is agreed upon, such as paying for a voter contact program in underperforming precincts, or to finance trainings for SCC members, then having 360 recognized leaders fundraising  for a common goal is more efficient than relying on one person to do the same.