In a state where thousands of voters have long felt shut out of pivotal elections, Sila Avcil is leading the charge to change that. As Executive Director of NM Voters First, Sila has become a passionate advocate for open primaries—a reform she believes is key to building a more inclusive, representative democracy. Thanks to her leadership, a semi-open primaries bill—SB16—is now on the verge of becoming law in New Mexico. The bill would allow all voters, including independents, to participate in partisan primaries without having to change their party registration.
Sila’s commitment to open primaries is deeply personal. She believes every voter should have their voice heard and their vote counted. That’s especially important for young voters, who are increasingly registering as independents and missing out on consequential primary elections. “We need the future generation of our country participating in every election,” she says, “so that our elected officials are more representative of the needs of our future.”
Since its founding, NM Voters First has worked to support candidates and legislators who believe in expanding access to the ballot and strengthening democracy. Under Sila’s leadership, passing a semi-open primaries bill has remained the organization’s top priority.
Her advocacy is grounded in the real-world experiences of New Mexico voters. In 2023, shortly after she began working on this issue, a voter and community organizer shared with her what it took to cast a ballot in the 2022 primary. A lifelong independent, he was forced to change his registration on Election Day to one of the major parties to participate. Though elected officials often describe this process as seamless—“just change your registration and change it back later”—it took him six months to successfully re-register as an independent. His frustration highlighted how out of touch the same-day registration process is with the lived experiences of voters, and especially independents.
That disconnect came into sharp focus again during the 2024 general election, when 25,000 New Mexicans attempted to use same-day voter registration, causing wait times of up to five hours in some districts. The challenges of that day helped Sila and NM Voters First build even more support for semi-open primaries—particularly among election administrators and the Secretary of State, who recognized the benefits of a more inclusive and streamlined process.
Sila is excited about what SB16 could mean for voter participation. Other states that moved from closed to open primaries have seen increased turnout, especially among younger and unaffiliated voters. As Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver puts it, “participation begets participation.” Sila believes that when more New Mexicans have a voice in every stage of the election process—from primaries to general to local contests—it leads to a more functional government, with elected officials who truly reflect their communities and are more likely to pass effective, people-centered policies.
Importantly, while semi-open primaries expand access, they don’t automatically lead to what advocates call meaningful votes—votes that matter to the outcome of competitive elections. Voter access isn’t the driver of meaningful votes—competition is. But when competitive races do exist—such as a close general election or a primary with multiple strong candidates—semi-open primaries ensure more voters, especially independents, can help decide the outcome. Sila’s work helps create the conditions where meaningful votes are not just possible, but more likely.
This reform is especially significant in a state like New Mexico, where nearly 60% of young voters—and 41% of Native young voters—are registered as independents. Native voters in New Mexico are almost three times more likely than non-Native voters to be unaffiliated with a major party, and more of them are under the age of 35. In a minority-majority state with 23 federally recognized tribes and 19 pueblos, ensuring these communities have real access to impactful elections is a critical piece of a more representative system.
Thanks to Sila Avcil’s leadership, New Mexico is on the brink of a more open, inclusive electoral future—one that creates space for every voter to cast a meaningful vote when it matters most.
