New Mexico Democrats on Wednesday signaled support for allowing independent voters to participate in New Mexico primary elections that for decades have been open only to members of major political parties.

The effort is being taken up by two Democratic state legislators from Albuquerque. Sen. Bill O’Neill and Rep. Emily Kane planned to announce today that they will introduce legislation in January that would end the exclusion of independent voters or voters who decline to state a party affiliation when they register.

Republicans are still opposed to the idea, state Republican Party Chairman John Billingsley said Wednesday.

“Open primaries dilute party principles,” Billingsley said in a statement. “Independents may register with the party that most suits them, and vote.”

The O’Neill-Kane plan was shared in an email Wednesday by the Democratic Party of New Mexico, which previously has voiced strong opposition against opening its primary elections to include any non-Democrats. The two current major parties, the Democratic and Republican parties, hold primary elections the same date in June but on separate ballots and only party members are eligible to participate in the respective primaries.

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