New Mexico could transform the way it chooses the president as a citizens panel discusses the  possibility of allowing the popular vote to decide the state's candidate of choice.

Under the proposal, the candidate who wins the national popular vote will also win in New Mexico, meaning that candidate would get all five electoral votes from New Mexico. 

Currently, the electoral votes goes to the candidate who wins just within the state.  

The panel argued that changing the way the Land of Enchantment elects the president would give more value to every single vote.

The panel wants to avoid instances like the 2000 election, when a candidate won the presidency even though he did not win the popular vote. 

"There have been some elections that have been questionable because of the electoral college," Las Cruces resident Betty Madsen said. "I would rather have my vote count."

Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins, who is a part of the panel, said that  he's not sure the change is right for New Mexico because it's a battleground state.

The decision is ultimately in the hands of the New Mexico Legislature, but any change that could be made is not expected to happen in time for the 2012 presidential election.

Instead, he favors a U.S. Constitutional amendment.

"I'm for amending the Constitution to say that the candidate with the most votes nationwide is the president," Ellins said.