Albuquerque city elections

City, county disconnect could mean two initiatives don’t make ballot

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Because of a disagreement between the Albuquerque City Council and Bernalillo County Commission, it’s not clear which ballot initiative voters will get to vote on—or if either will even be on the ballot. During a Bernalillo County Commission meeting last week, commissioners did not discuss either of two recent ballot initiatives sent to them by the Albuquerque City Council. In fact, neither even appeared on the agenda. One initiative, prompted by a successful petition drive, would require some employers to provide sick leave to employees. The other would increase public campaign finance dollars to Albuquerque mayoral candidates.

Albuquerque city elections

A day later, city council winners, losers reflect on results

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As the dust settles after the Albuquerque city election on Tuesday night, city council candidates are weighing in on the results. After an extremely low turnout, one candidate is ready for his new position as a councilor and another is ready to continue his tenure. The other candidates said they are ready to work with their former opponents on the issues they respectively see as important. In District 6, Pat Davis* defeated Hess “Hessito” Yntema and Sam Kerwin for the seat recently vacated by Rey Garduno. District 4 saw long time councilor Brad Winter win reelection despite the efforts of newcomer Israel Chavez.

Albuquerque Newsdesk

Low turnout, no surprises in ABQ elections

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Albuquerque’s election on Tuesday featured extremely low turnout and even fewer surprises with nearly all ballots counted. The three most prominent races went about how observers had expected beforehand. The Democrat won the Democratic-leaning city council seat and the incumbent Republican won the Republican-leaning city council seat with all 53 vote centers reporting. Related: See our election night liveblog. The one-eighth of one cent gross receipts tax increase for upkeep and new projects at the BioPark also cruised to victory with over 56 percent of the vote.

Albuquerque city elections

Albuquerque election liveblog

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Election day in Albuquerque! Voters throughout Albuquerque will decide the makeup of the city council, whether a gross receipts tax increase to aid the BioPark should happen and a number of bond questions and city charter issues. New Mexico Political Report will be here throughout the night—and throughout the city—to give you the latest results on the races. Check in here periodically and at 7:00 p.m., the pace will pick up. The newest posts will be up top, the oldest ones at the bottom.

Albuquerque Newsdesk

ABQ voters to decide city council makeup, BioPark funding

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There’s an election tomorrow in New Mexico’s biggest city. Voters who did not vote early or absentee will head to the polls in what is expected to be a light-turnout election, although one that will decide the makeup of the city council and a tax to help fund improvements at Albuquerque’s BioPark. Also on the ballot are changes to the city charter and a number of bond questions to fund infrastructure, parks and more. Voters can cast their ballots at any voting location; it doesn’t have to be your local precinct. The University of New Mexico even has a map that tells you the length of waits at each location if you want to stop off at lunch or take off early from work to vote.

Brad Winter

Despite Fla. home, ABQ councilor says he’s committed to NM

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An Albuquerque city council hopeful is taking his long-time incumbent opponent to task for building a custom waterfront second home in Florida. Brad Winter, the longest-serving councilor, last year took out a $324,000 mortgage with his wife to construct a three-bedroom, 3,100 square-foot house in Port Charlotte, Florida, a popular retirement destination located on a Gulf of Mexico inlet, according to public documents obtained by New Mexico Political Report. Winter, a recently retired administrator and interim superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools, is seeking a fifth term in this October’s city election. His opponent is Israel Chavez, a 24-year-old University of New Mexico graduate who works as a development director at Equality New Mexico. Although the race is nonpartisan, Winter is a registered Republican and Chavez a Democrat.