Mario Jimenez III Takes Helm At Common Cause New Mexico; Heather Ferguson Moves To National Organization

new CCNM Executive Director Mario Jimenez, III

CCNM News:

Mario Jimenez, III, is tapped to become the new executive director of Common Cause New Mexico (CCNM). Jimenez has been serving as campaigns director for CCNM.

Jimenez has led many legislative efforts in New Mexico, including election process reforms through his earlier work with the New Mexico Clerks’ Affiliate.

Since joining CCNM, he has led the state’s largest nonpartisan election protection program and lobbied to increase voter access to the ballot box. At the local level, Jimenez has led efforts to provide public education and implementation of ranked choice voting in Las Cruces and Santa Fe.

Jimenez is a veteran of the Dona Ana County Clerk’s office where he served as the county’s chief deputy clerk for six years. He previously served on the state’s Voting Machine Certification Committee and was a certified voting machine technician. He also worked as the president and lobbyist for the New Mexico County Clerk’s Affiliate. He is a graduate of New Mexico State University.

“Safeguarding our democratic process and holding bad actors accountable is more important now than it ever has been,” he said. “I intend to work alongside good government organizations, community leaders, and well-intentioned elected officials from across the state. It is my goal to continue holding power accountable and increasing the public’s faith in the government that serves them through Common Cause’s nonpartisan efforts.”

Heather Ferguson, who served as CCNM executive director since July 2018, was named last week to a national position at Common Cause, based in Washington, DC In her new post, Ferguson will provide direct state support on campaigns, fundraising, policy, and program development for New Mexico, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Nebraska, Oregon and Texas.

Ferguson expanded Common Cause New Mexico’s office from a two-person to four-person staffed organization with additional contractors and has added a Fair Courts program focused on ensuring the state courts’ judicial independence and expanding judicial public financing.

Under Ferguson’s leadership, CCNM passed a constitutional amendment to create a State Ethics Commission, advanced voter registration, overhauled campaign finance reforms, and created the nation’s first district court-level public financing program. She has built successful lobbying campaigns, election protection programs, local ballot measures, published research and reports, and worked with coalitions for democracy at both the state and local levels.

Ferguson said she will remain in the Land of Enchantment while working remotely and looks forward to working with Common Cause New Mexico’s new leadership, Mario Jimenez, III.

About CCNM

Common Cause is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values ​​of American democracy. “We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; to promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard as equals in the political process.”