The first Tuesday in June means the New Mexico Primary Election is underway.

In New Mexico, there are 574,748 registered Democrats, 379,537 registered Republicans and 203,378 registered voters who “Declined To State” a party preference.

New Mexico is a politically closed state for primary elections, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote in their respective primary elections.

As one of the 203,378 “DTS” voters, I just have one small request of the 20% anticipated to vote in the primary election: Please, don’t mess it up for the rest of us.

You like playing party politics, and feeling good about making a political statement only to leave the best, and sometimes most electable candidate either out of play or so covered in mud that they are virtually unelectable.

But, Republicans and Democrats, it is your primary party.  The valued DTS, swing voters who will help decide November’s winner, will be watching and hoping you give us candidates that don’t agitate us too much.