New Mexico Native Vote

The organization has supported Democratic Party candidates and campaign committees ³ and received financial support from the Grove Action Fund, ⁴ the Groundswell Action Fund, ⁵ the Sixteen Thirty Fund, the State Engagement Fund, ⁶ the Movement Voter Project’s Native Voter Fund ⁷ and Climate Vote Fund, ⁸ and Western Conservation Action. ⁹

History and Leadership

New Mexico Native Vote has been active in the New Mexico legislative process since the mid-2010s ¹⁰ and was officially formed in 2018. ^{11 12}

Ahtza Dawn Chavez is the executive director of NM Native Vote. ¹² She is also the executive director of the related 501(c)(3) organization Naeva ¹³ and has led both organizations since January 2020. ²

Chavez is a member of the New Mexico Sustainable Economy Advisory Council, the City of Albuquerque’s critical race theory-influenced Justice40 Committee, and the All Pueblo Council of Governors Legislative Committee. It is a member organization of Groundworks, NM. ¹³

NM Native Vote is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ¹⁴

Activities and Funding

New Mexico Native Vote is a left-of-center 501(c)(4) get-out-the-vote (GOTV) and activist organization focused on Native American voter turnout in New Mexico. ¹ NM Native Vote is committed to the critical race theory-influenced concepts of social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice. ²

NM Native Vote’s efforts have included voter registration activities, providing contact forms to members of the New Mexico legislature, ¹⁵ U.S. Census outreach, pro-abortion advocacy, ¹² publishing a newsletter, ¹⁶ and activities that the group considers “voter protection” through vote by mail. NM Native Vote also works with the Native American Voter Taskforce and the New Mexico Secretary of State to encourage Native American voter turnout. ¹ The organization is a member of the Asset Funders Network’s Equity Amplifier for Economic Security Program ¹⁷ and has co-signed Native American-related petitions organized by the left-of-center Native American Rights Fund. ¹⁸

NM Native Vote spent money in support of Democratic Party candidates and campaign committees in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 election cycles. ³

Since 2018, NM Native Vote has advocated for Native American interests in New Mexico, including advocacy for the New Mexico Redistricting Coalition and Native American-specific voting rights legislation in the state. ¹²

In 2020, NM Native Vote executive director Ahtza Dawn Chavez led the New Mexico Native Census and the 2021 Native Redistricting Coalitions. ¹³

NM Native Vote has given financial support to the Native American Advocacy Fund ¹⁹ and supported the establishment of a New Mexico taxpayer-funded Land Grant Permanent Fund to spend money on public schools across the state for Native Americans. ²⁰

Activism

New Mexico Native Vote conducts door knocking, phone banking, and digital ad campaigns for candidates and policies aligned with NM Native Vote’s ideology. ¹² The group has also worked to influence the redistricting process in New Mexico. ²¹

NM Native Vote endorses political candidates aligned with the Progressive Voters Guide, which is funded by ProgressNow New Mexico. In 2024, the organization supported the U.S. Presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Congressional campaigns of U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM). ^{22 23 24}

In 2023, NM Native Vote spent $258,000 on advocacy relative to the 2023 elections. This included building a Native American voting bloc in the state and support for the state-level New Mexico Voting Rights Act. ²⁵

In 2020, NM Native Vote received payment for advocacy activities from the left-of-center Environmental Defense Action Fund. ²⁶

Funding

New Mexico Native Vote is funded by individual contributions and grants. Donations to NM Native Vote are routed through the left-of-center pass-through organization ActBlue Civics. ^{27 28} In 2023, NM Native Vote reported revenue of $280,059 and expenses of $363,625. The organization reported revenue of $499,462 and expenses of $380,389 in 2022. ²⁹

In 2023, NM Native Vote received $130,000 from the Grove Action Fund ⁴ and $50,000 from the Groundswell Action Fund. ⁵

In 2022, NM Native Vote received $100,000 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, $70,000 from the Groundswell Action Fund, and $55,000 from the All Hands on Deck Network. ³⁰ NM Native Vote received $75,000 from the State Engagement Fund in 2021. ⁶

The organization has received other funding from the Movement Voter Project’s Native Voter Fund ⁷ and Climate Vote Fund ⁸ and the Western Conservation Action. ⁹