New Mexico State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022
New Mexico Senate District 36
A district of about 54,000 people, 70% Hispanic, 25% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+9.7 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Jeff Steinborn (D) · won55.9%
- David H. Tofsted (R)44.1%
Source: New Mexico Secretary of StateUpdated Oct 1, 2026, 6:08 AM ET
Where it sits among all 42 seats
Every New Mexico State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
14 races since 1972; the seat changed party 2 times. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2024 | Jeff Steinborn (D) | David H. Tofsted (R) | 11.8 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Jeff Steinborn (D) | Kimberly A. Skaggs (R) | 12.5 |
| 2016 | Jeff Steinborn (D)Flip | Lee S. Cotter (R) | 19.3 |
| 2012 | Lee S. Cotter (R) | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | 7.8 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | Lee S. Cotter (R) | 9.8 |
| 2004 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | Lee S. Cotter (R) | 17.7 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | John S. Townsend III (R) | 17.0 |
| 1996 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | Thomas F. Bulger (R) | 3.0 |
| 1992 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D) | William H. Spaulding (R) | 11.9 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Mary Jane M. Garcia (D)Flip | Ellen Lively Steele (R) | 12.6 |
| 1984 | Ellen Lively Steele (R) | Olivia Nevarez Rothschild (D) | 0.4 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Lamar E. Gwaltney (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1976 | Lamar E. Gwaltney (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1972 | Jerry Apodaca (D) | — | Unopposed |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 36
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 36's area in each.
- U.S. House
- NM-2 100%
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | D+13.4 | No race | No race | No race |
| U.S. Senate | No race | D+25.6 | D+15.7 | D+3.5 |
| Governor | No race | D+20.3 | No race | No race |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 42 seats. Small marks are other seats in New Mexico. The black marker is District 36.
Lower than 54% of seats.
Lower than 54% of seats.
Higher than 88% of seats.
Lower than 80% of seats.
Lower than 98% of seats.
Denser than 56% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 3871% Hispanic · 34% college gradsD+16.0Not up in 2026District 8
64% Hispanic · 27% college gradsD+11.2Not up in 2026District 14
72% Hispanic · 20% college gradsD+16.1Not up in 2026District 39
58% Hispanic · 31% college gradsD+27.4Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET