A case that could transform New Mexico's two-party primary system is getting its day in court.
State District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd is expected Tuesday to weigh in on a lawsuit filed by David Crum on behalf of the state's 250,000 independent voters. The Albuquerque resident is seeking to allow people the right to pick a party on the day of the primary so they can vote.
Currently, only Republicans and Democrats can vote in primary elections — something critics say contributes to low voter turnout.
Turnout dropped 8 percent in New Mexico's June primary election, with only one in five Democratic and Republican voters casting ballots.
The Republican Party of New Mexico wants the lawsuit dismissed.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Sydow argued Tuesday that changing the law would hurt "the purity of the election."
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