Rebecca Vigil-Giron

Rebecca Vigil-Giron
Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Martin Heinrich
19th New Mexico Secretary of State
In office January 1, 1987 – December 31, 1990
Preceded by	Clara Padilla Jones
Succeeded by	Stephanie Gonzales
In office January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2006
Preceded by	Stephanie Gonzales
Succeeded by	Mary Herrera
Personal details
Born	(1954-09-04) September 4, 1954 (age 62) Taos, New Mexico
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	New Mexico Highlands University

Rebecca Vigil-Giron (born September 4, 1954) is an American politician, who served as a Democratic Secretary of State in New Mexico from 1987 to 1990, and from 1999 to 2006. She is the longest serving Secretary of State in New Mexico history.

Rebecca Vigil was born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, Vigil-Giron is an 11th generation New Mexican. She earned a bachelor's degree in French and Social Science from New Mexico Highlands University and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University.

Vigil-Giron was first elected New Mexico Secretary of State in 1986 at age 31, becoming the highest ranking Hispanic woman statewide elected official in the country. Vigil-Giron ran unsuccessfully against Republican Congressman Steve Schiff for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1990. She was re-elected New Mexico Secretary of State in 1998 and served through 2006 when she was term-limited.

In 2004, Vigil-Giron became the first Hispanic President in the 100-year history of the National Association of Secretaries of State. She has served as a member of the United States Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Standards Board and Board of Advisors.

Vigil-Giron once said she became interested in politics after running a successful campaign for homecoming queen at New Mexico Highlands University in 1975. In a 1998 interview she claims to have run a full-fledged campaign for the spot going, "door to dormitory door," with the help of the campus Young Democrats who sponsored her effort.

After being elected in 1986, she was successful in changing some of New Mexico's restrictive voter registration requirements. New Mexico had the second-most restrictive voter registration requirements in the United States at that time. Voters were required to register 46 days prior to election day to be eligible to vote (only Arizona had more restrictive laws with a 50-day registration requirement). Vigil-Giron campaigned for the law to be amended to a 14-day minimum registration period, but was forced to compromise with New Mexico legislators and the registration requirement was changed to 28 days prior to election day, which is the current law.