1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

The job: Pass laws; write budget; act as a liaison between residents and federal government. Pays $165,200. Two-year term. (i) denotes incumbent.

Patricia Madrid, Democrat

Heather Wilson (i), Republican

U.S. SENATE

The job: Pass laws; write budget; act as a liaison between residents and federal government; accept or reject presidential nominations to the Cabinet and judiciary. Six-year term. Pays $165,200. (i) denotes incumbent.

Jeff Bingaman (i), Democrat

Allen W. McCulloch, Republican

GOVERNOR

The job: Carries out laws; nominates state officers; prepares a state budget for the Legislature to consider; oversees planning for state government; declares emergencies and grants reprieves and pardons for all crimes except treason and impeachment cases; fills some vacant appointments, such as U.S. Senate. Four-year term. Pays $110,000. (i) denotes incumbent.

Bill Richardson (i), Democrat

John Dendahl, Republican

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

The job: Serves as president of the state Senate and acts as governor in governor's absence; serves on several boards, including the Border Authority, Mortgage Finance Authority and state Board of Finance; chairperson of the Children's Cabinet. Four-year term. Pays $85,000. (i) denotes incumbent.

Diane D. Denish (i), Democrat

Sue Wilson Beffort, Republican

ATTORNEY GENERAL

The job: Represents the state in court at the governor's request or when it is in the public's interest; prosecutes or defends cases in the state Court of Appeals or Supreme Court; writes advisory letters and opinions. Four-year term. Pays $95,000. Post held by Patricia Madrid, a Democrat, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Gary K. King, Democrat

Jim Bibb, Republican

STATE TREASURER

The job: Keeps, receives and disburses state money and authorizes state agency deposit accounts; oversees the short-term investment fund for local governments and tribes. Four-year term. Pays $85,000. Post held by Doug Brown, appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson after Robert Vigil stepped down in 2005.

James B. Lewis, Democrat

Demesia Padilla, Republican

SECRETARY OF STATE

The job: Oversees elections; regulates lobbyist activities and campaign ethics; second in line of succession to the governor after lieutenant governor. Four-year term. Pays $85,000. Post held by Rebecca Vigil-Giron, a Democrat, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Mary Herrera, Democrat

Vickie Perea, Republican

STATE AUDITOR

The job: Assures that financial affairs of every state agency are thoroughly examined and audited; approves contracts for outside auditing services; reviews audits. Four-year term. Pays $85,000. Post held by Domingo Martinez, a Democrat, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Hector Balderas, Democrat

Lorenzo Garcia, Republican

STATE LAND COMMISSIONER

The job: Makes rules that govern the management of state lands; considers applications for leases or purchases of state land and timber. Four-year term. Pays $90,000. (i) denotes incumbent.

Jim Baca, Democrat

Patrick Lyons (i), Republican

STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The job: Write state budget and craft laws affecting schools, prison and government agencies. Two-year term. Legislators are given $144 per diem for each day in session, along with mileage reimbursement. (i) denotes incumbent.

District 14

Miguel P. Garcia (i), Democrat

Clara Pena, Republican

District 15

Traci Jo Cadigan

Teresa Zanetti (i), Republican

District 16

Antonio "Moe" Maestas, Democrat

Storm Field, Republican

District 18

Gail Chasey (i), Democrat

Lance Klafeta, Republican

District 22

Janice Saxton, Democrat

Kathy McCoy (i), Republican

District 23

(Barbara) Anne Stirling, Democrat

Eric A. Youngberg (i), Republican

District 24

Shirley J. Abbott, Democrat

Janice E. Arnold-Jones (i), Republican

District 28

Shay Rose, Democrat

Jimmie C. Hall (i), Republican

District 29

Antonio E. Sandoval, Democrat

Thomas A. (Tom) Anderson (i), Republican

District 30

John McWaters, Democrat

Justine Fox Young (i), Republican

District 31

Barbara Scharf, Democrat

William "Bill" R. Rehm (i), Republican

District 44

Eliot Gould, Democrat

Jane E. Powdrell-Culbert (i), Republican

District 60

Thomas E. Swisstack (i), Democrat

Jim Owen, Republican

COUNTY ASSESSOR

The job: Determines property values of homes, businesses and other taxable property within the county; prepares the tax rolls for the county treasurer. Pays $56,957. Post held by Mark J. Carrillo, a Democrat, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Karen L Montoya, Democrat

Harold Davis, Republican (Did not return survey)

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF

The job: The county's top law enforcement official. Oversees the Sheriff's Department's more than 400 employees. Pays $59,397 a year. (i) denotes incumbent.

Darren White (i), Republican

Jose Edgar Chavez, Democrat

RETENTION JUDGES

Judges who have successfully defended their judgeships in a partisan election are thereafter subject only to retention - stay or go - ballots.

The lowdown: The following recommendations and evaluations are from the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, created in 1997 to improve the performance of judges and provide useful, credible information to voters on all judges standing for retention during elections. Evaluations are based on performance in four main areas: legal ability; fairness; communication skills; preparation, attentiveness, temperament and control over proceedings.

For more on the commission: Go to www.nmjpec.org.

N.M. SUPREME COURT (Retention)

The job: Rules on all appeals from lower state courts. Eight-year terms. Must be at least 35 years old, have practiced law for at least 10 years and have resided in New Mexico for at least three years. Pays: $115,040.

Edward Chavez

N.M. COURT OF APPEALS (Retention)

The job: Review all cases except those involving sentences of death and life in prison, review appeals from the Public Regulation Commission. Eight-year terms. Must be at least 35 years old and have resided in New Mexico for at least three years. Pays $109,288.

Cynthia Fry

Lynn Pickard

Jim Wechsler

METRO COURT (Retention)

The job: Presides over cases in civil, criminal, family and children's courts. Pays $86,878.

Victor E. Valdez

Kevin L. Fitzwater

Cristina T. Jaramillo

Frank A. Sedillo

J. Wayne Griego

Sandra J. Clinton

Judith K. Nakamura

Victoria J. Grant

Daniel Ramczyk

Theresa A. Gomez

Anna G. Martinez

Sharon D. Walton

DISTRICT JUDGE

2nd Judicial District The job: Preside over criminal and civil jury trials. Six-year terms. Pays $103,824. (i) denotes incumbent.

Division 12 (civil cases)

Clay Campbell (i), Democrat

Sanford H. Siegel, Republican

Division 16 (criminal cases)

Dawn Penni Adrian, independent

Carl J. Butkus (i), Democrat

PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION

The job: Responsible for regulating and licensing companies, including transportation, insurance and fire- and utility-related ones. The five commissioners serve staggered four-year terms. Pays $90,000. Post held by Lynda Lovejoy, a Democrat, who cannot run again due to term limits.

Carol K. Sloan, Democrat

David Bacon, Green

METRO COURT JUDGE, DIVISION 17

The job: Presides over cases in civil, criminal, family and children's courts. Pays $86,878. (i) denotes incumbent.

Rachel I. Walker Al-Yasi, Democrat

Clyde DeMersseman (i), Republican