By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Bernalillo County voters gave Democrats wins in nearly every contested partisan race, from county offices to Congress, while also deciding judicial contests and a slate of ballot questions. Democrat Eric Olivas won another term on the County Commission and Democrat Linda Stover won election as county assessor.
Bernalillo County voters faced a lengthy ballot that included two U.S. House races, a U.S. Senate race, statewide offices, 15 contested state House races, and several judicial contests and retention questions. They also considered bond issues and proposed amendments to the New Mexico Constitution, including Amendment 4, which would tie state lawmakers’ pay to the state’s median household income. Voters cast 250,085 ballots in the county, representing 54.4% of the 459,570 eligible voters. County turnout surpassed the statewide rate of 49.6%, with 726,684 ballots cast among 1.46 million eligible voters statewide.
All results are unofficial until county and state election officials complete the canvass.
County Races
Olivas defeated Republican Thomas Wayne Riley in the County Commission District 5 race, winning 61% to 39% and securing a second four-year term. Stover defeated Republican Michael Ray Maine in the county assessor’s race, winning 67% of the vote to Maine’s 33%. She previously served two terms as Bernalillo County clerk and became the county’s deputy treasurer in January 2025.
Three other county Democrats won without opposition: John Allen for sheriff, Barbara Baca for County Commission District 1 and Veronica Hernandez for probate judge.
State Races
Bernalillo County voters also weighed in on 24 state House districts, with Democrats winning 22 seats. East Mountain Republican Stefani Lord won reelection in District 22, receiving 49% to Democrat William “Bill” Scott’s 38% and independent Zachary Withers’ 13%. Republican Nicole Chavez also won reelection in District 31, defeating Democrat Lisa Curtis, 52% to 48%. Democrat Abby Foster defeated Republican Jahnelle Garcia, 57% to 43%, to win the District 27 seat previously held by Democratic Rep. Marian Matthews.
- District 10: Democrat Andres Romero defeated Republican Christopher Crane, 68% to 32%.
- District 11: Democrat Javier Martinez ran unopposed.
- District 12: Democrat Art De La Cruz defeated Republican Steven Tafoya, 73% to 27%.
- District 13: Democrat Patricia Roybal Caballero ran unopposed.
- District 14: Democrat Miguel Garcia defeated Republican Richard Zubia, 79% to 21%.
- District 15: Democrat Dayan “Day” Hochman-Vigil ran unopposed.
- District 16: Democrat Yanira Gurrola Valenzuela ran unopposed.
- District 17: Democrat Cynthia Borrego defeated Republican Brenda Boatman, 62% to 38%.
- District 18: Democrat Marianna Anaya ran unopposed.
- District 19: Democrat Janelle Anyanonu ran unopposed.
- District 20: Democrat Meredith Dixon ran unopposed.
- District 21: Democrat Debra Sarinana defeated Republican Robert Mason, 65% to 35%.
- District 22: Republican Stefani Lord defeated Democrat William “Bill” Scott, 49% to 38%, and independent Zachary Withers, who received 13%.
- District 24: Democrat Elizabeth Thomson ran unopposed.
- District 25: Democrat Cristina Parajon defeated Republican Denis Litvinenko, 76% to 24%.
- District 26: Democrat Eleanor Chavez defeated Republican Corey Zimmerman, 69% to 31%.
- District 27: Democrat Abby Foster defeated Republican Jahnelle Garcia, 57% to 43%.
- District 28: Democrat Pamelya Herndon defeated Republican Brenda Olson, 61% to 39%.
- District 29: Democrat Joy Garratt defeated Republican Carolyn Stith, 61% to 39%.
- District 30: Democrat Elizabeth Torres-Velasquez defeated Republican Jerry Trujillo, 61% to 39%.
- District 31: Republican Nicole Chavez defeated Democrat Lisa Curtis, 52% to 48%.
- District 44: Democrat Kathleen Cates defeated Republican Adam Prior, 60% to 40%.
- District 68: Democrat Charlotte Little defeated Republican David Adkins, 57% to 43%.
- District 69: Democrat Michelle Abeyta ran unopposed.
Four Public Education Commission seats were also on the ballot. In District 3, Democrat Jacob Trujillo defeated Forward Party candidate Dennis Dinge, winning 80% to 20%. Republicans Kenneth Pascoe in District 2, Sharon Clahchischilliage in District 5 and Stewart Ingham in District 6 each ran unopposed.
Judicial Races
Democrat Kris Houghton ran unopposed for Court of Appeals Position 1. Four 2nd Judicial District Court candidates also ran unopposed: Matthew Edwin Chavez in Division 2, Bryan Fox in Division 11, Diana Lynn Garcia in Division 19 and Crystal Emerald Lees in Division 24. In Metropolitan Court, Democrat Ramon Maestas defeated Republican Kerry Morris in Division 5, winning 65% to 35%. Democrat Andrea Gunderson ran unopposed in Division 19. Voters retained 20 judges across four state courts.
Bond Questions
All three statewide general obligation bond questions passed, authorizing funding for senior facilities, library resources, and higher education and special schools. All six Bernalillo County bond questions also passed, approving funding for libraries; public safety facilities, fleet and county buildings; parks and recreation; transportation; storm drainage and utilities; and public housing. In addition, voters approved the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority bond question, authorizing up to $30 million in general obligation bonds for improvements to the flood control system.
Albuquerque Charter Questions
All three Albuquerque charter questions passed. The approved measures include repealing the voter-approval requirement for the city to appropriate more than $10 million for a performing arts center; designating the director of Albuquerque Community Safety as agency chief, appointed by the mayor with City Council confirmation; and adjusting how the city distributes public safety gross receipts tax revenue among police, fire, Albuquerque Community Safety, health and housing programs, prisoner transportation and code enforcement without raising the tax rate.
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