More than 660,000 New Mexicans – nearly half of those registered – voted early - By Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
More than 660,000 New Mexicans cast their ballots for candidates from local races to the nation’s highest office during the state’s early voting period that startedOct. 8 and ran through Saturday, the secretary state’s office said Monday.
About 530,000 of those ballots – or 80% – were cast in-person. The rest, or about 120,000 voters, were mailed, according to state data. The total from the early voting period accounts for about 48% of New Mexico’s registered voters, per the latest voter roll.
That doesn’t quite beat the record early turnout for 2020 Elections of nearly 800,000 voters. Another change from the pandemic election was the percentage of mail-in ballots, which accounted for 35% of votes cast in 2020, but less than a quarter of votes so far in this election.
Seven counties saw more than half of registered voters vote absentee or early, including Bernalillo, the state’s most populous, with more than 243,000 early votes. More than 50% of registered voters also turned out early in Grant, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Valencia counties.
Republican candidates have challenged, without evidence, the validity of mail-in ballots or early votes in other states. It’s unclear if that has impacted Republican voters, but just over 75,000 fewer Republicans voted early in 2024 compared to 2020.
Democratic voters accounted for 46% of early voter turnout, compared to 36% from Republicans.
Statewide, the Democratic Party takes the largest slice of the electorate at 42%, while Republicans account for about one-third of registered voters. A quarter of voters decline to state any party affiliation, and Libertarians make up just over 1% while all other parties are just below 1% combined.
Tuesday will be the final day to vote for offices including president, U.S. Senate, Congress and the Legislature.
How to apply for FEMA disaster funding and what it covers in deadly Roswell flooding - By Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
Roswell-area residents and business owners may be able to get federal financial help after President Joe Biden’s declaration of a disaster following last month’s deadly flash flooding.
Biden made the declaration Friday, following fellow Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s request. A federal disaster declaration unlocks federal grants and loans for those impacted by the Oct. 18 storm that killed two people, wrecked buildings and washed away cars.
The money can cover temporary housing and home repairs, loans for uninsured property losses and other programs.
Those who need assistance can request it by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA App.
Before applying, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the following steps:
1. Take photos of damaged homes or belongings
2. Make a list of damaged or lost items
3. If you have insurance, file a claim with your insurance company
4. Apply for assistance
Biden’s disaster declaration makes the funding available in Chaves County. The storm not only hit Roswell but communities downstream along the Pecos River and its tributaries, including Midway, Dexter, Lake Arthur and Hagerman.
State emergency management officials reported more than 300 water rescues and 38 people hospitalized during the storm. In one instance, over 100 people sheltered on the rooftops of the Roswell Convention and Civic Center. The National Weather Service said the storm dumped almost 6 inches of rain, a record for a single weather event in Roswell.
According to initial estimates by FEMA and state officials, the storm damaged 274 homes, did major damage to 179 of those and completely destroyed nine, according to New Mexico’s disaster declaration request signed by Lujan Grisham on Oct. 28.
State and local authorities have identified another 449 homes that could be damaged or destroyed, she wrote.
The storm also severely damaged an estimated $51.9 million worth of public infrastructure, including lost vehicles and 32 flooded public buildings, according to the governor.
Only about 10% of the residents whose homes were assessed said they have adequate insurance, Lujan Grisham wrote.
At the time of the request, only 57 residents had submitted home insurance claims, “leaving hundreds of residents either underinsured or completely uninsured,” she wrote.
How does New Mexico ensure a secure Election Day? - By KUNM News
After a years-long election season, the 2024 general election is finally upon us. And while New Mexico is ranked No. 1 in the nation for election administration, according to MIT’s Elections Performance Index, there is unprecedented distrust in the election system nationwide in recent years. So, we here at KUNM would like to answer some questions and concerns you may have about how the state works to keep voting secure.
In order to ensure voter registration lists are up to date and only those who are qualified are able to cast a ballot, New Mexico is a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center. The group provides access to national databases to maintain accurate voter rolls.
To ensure your vote is kept secret, New Mexico uses paper ballots that are tabulated by machines that are not connected to the internet. To ensure an accurate count, those machines are tested prior to every election and an audit is connected afterwards. This involves randomly selecting a few races and precincts throughout the state and hand counting their results. Those numbers are then compared to the machine-counted results. Any discrepancies are thoroughly investigated.
All the results we’ll report Tuesday night and in the coming days will be unofficial until they are certified. For state elections, certificates must be issued by the 31st day after the election. In the 2022 primary, the Otero County Commission voted against certifying the results, citing unfounded claims about voting machines without providing evidence. Following a request from Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the state Supreme Court ordered the commission to comply with its legal duty and certify the results, which it did.
Biden declares major disaster area in southeast New Mexico due to historic flooding - Associated Press
President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster area in southeast New Mexico after historic flooding killed two people and forced the rescue of more than 300 last month.
The declaration announced Friday makes federal funding available to residents in Chaves County, where 5.78 inches (about 14.7 centimeters) of rain fell Oct. 19, breaking Roswell's previous daily high of 5.65 inches (about 14.6 centimeters) set on Nov. 1, 1901.
Mayor Tim Jennings called it "a 500-year flood" and estimated the damage at up to $500 million.
City officials said the Roswell Museum sustained at least $12 million in water damage and pieces of artwork were being sent out of state to be repaired.
The Biden administration said the federal assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover.
ABQ City Council set to consider administration accountability measures, possible shelter contract - Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
Albuquerque city councilors are expected to consider two proposals during their meeting Monday that would require more accountability from Mayor Tim Keller’s administration. Councilors may also vote on a $5 million operator contract for the city’s Gateway West Facility — an overnight shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
NEW SOCIAL MEDIA RULES
Councilors will consider a proposal — sponsored by Councilor Renée Grout — to implement a new social media policy for city officials.
Grout introduced the resolution shortly after the City Council blasted the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) for the second time over its controversial social media posts a few months ago.
Her proposed policy outlines guidelines for defining what posts are appropriate and inappropriate for city social media accounts, potential consequences for misusing accounts and a plan to regularly monitor accounts to ensure they follow the policies.
Read more about the APD posts and resolution here.
WRITTEN Q&A REQUIREMENT
Another proposal on the agenda would require Keller’s administration to answer councilors’ questions in writing as part of the administration question-and-answer period at council meetings.
“There’s some stuff that I think the public wants to know about, and we want to know, in reference to what’s happening with the administration and how they’re handling things,” Sanchez said. “We don’t get those answers all the time.”
As an example, Sanchez referred to the council’s Oct. 7 meeting when he asked the administration about a grant the city launched to help businesses that have been affected by vandalism.
Sanchez tried to apply for the grant after a window at his business was vandalized but was told he needed to have a police report. He told the administration he could not get a hold of the police department to file a report and asked why this was an issue. He said he never got a straight answer from the administration.
“I was trying to see what the public goes through, in reference to having to get this grant taken care of, and still nobody’s helped me,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez proposes that every question must be answered with a written response and sent to the council within 10 business days of the meeting. The questions and answers would then be shared on the council’s website.
$5 MILLION CONTRACT FOR GATEWAY WEST OPERATOR
Councilors may also vote on a $5 million contract for Chicanos Por La Causa to oversee operations at Gateway West — the former Westside Emergency Housing Center.
Earlier this week, the Finance and Government Operations Committee forwarded the contract to the council for immediate action. If approved, Chicano Por La Causa, a nonprofit based in Phoenix, Arizona, would be responsible for the overnight shelter.
Trump makes false claims about 2021 Las Cruces beheading - By Justin Garcia, Las Cruces Bulletin
During a rally in Albuquerque on Oct 31, former president Donald Trump falsely claimed that a man accused of beheading another in Las Cruces was in the U.S. illegally, repeating a false claim fabricated by a right-wing media outlet shortly after the 2021 incident.
The falsehood concerns the case against Joel Arciniega-Saenz, a U.S. citizen, who police accused of killing 51-year-old James Garcia at Apodaca Park in 2021.
“They come from Venezuela, they come from the Congo. And they’re stealing countless American lives in Las Cruces, Mexico,” Trump said, omitting the word “New” in the state’s name. “And they’re arrested and released from jail on an unsecured bond; what is an unsecured bond?”
Trump mused on the phrase – referring to a bond that a defendant only must repay if they’re found to have violated their conditions of release – before adding, “was charged with decapitating a man, mutilating his body and kicking his head around like a soccer ball in a public park.”
For the most part, Trump correctly recounted the case’s goriest details.
However, he did not mention the fact the Las Cruces police believed that Arciniega-Saenz knew Garcia and believed Garcia had sexually assaulted Arciniega-Saenz' girlfriend. Police said in the affidavit that they had no reason to think the girlfriend existed.
As Trump said, Arciniega-Saenz was also out of jail on an unsecured bond at the time of the beheading. In that case, police had accused Arciniega-Saenz of breaking into a coffee shop in Las Cruces, trashing the place and inscribing a homophobic slur on the food counter.
Like all defendants in New Mexico, Arciniega-Saenz was entitled to be released from jail as the coffee shop case progressed. And indeed, a magistrate judge in 2021 allowed him to leave jail on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
While out of jail and on bond in this case, police found him at Apodaca Park, covered in blood and confessing to the killing.
Since his arrest, Arciniega-Saenz has remained in jail and undergone multiple competency evaluations. Those records are sealed, so it's unclear whether he's been found incompetent to stand trial.
However, he is set for a trial date in March 2025. Court records indicate that his defense may argue that Arciniega-Saenz is insane and cannot be guilty of murder.
After the killing at Apodaca Park, the right-wing media website Breitbart published an article entitled “Illegal Alien Out of Jail on Bail Accused of Beheading Man, Playing ‘Soccer with his head.’”
The article mostly cited local news, adding, “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seemingly confirmed to Breitbart News that Arciniega-Saenz is an illegal alien in the United States with an ICE detainer on him, requesting that local authorities do not release him from jail until they can assume custody,” but provided nothing to suggest this was true.
The Las Cruces Bulletin confirmed on Oct. 31 that Arciniega-Saenz is, in fact, a U.S. citizen and has been all his life. Statements made in court over the last three years by his lawyers and prosecutors, the fact that no deportation process has ever been initiated despite Arciniega-Saenz's long criminal history, and the existence of his driver’s license number, his Social Security number, and his birth certificate all point to the fact that Arciniega-Saenz is a U.S. citizen.
City outlines plans to assist unhoused in cold weather - By Damon Scott, City Desk ABQ
Albuquerque Community Safety says it will expand its emergency, after-hours transportation services from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Additionally, the city has launched a dashboard to show updated bed availability at shelters throughout the city.
The city has 40 trucks available to plow and salt roads during winter weather events, but what’s the strategy for those who live on the streets? In the midst of some chilly temperatures Friday, officials said they have a plan.
The city’s cold weather approach for those experiencing homelessness is critical, advocates say, as many face significant exposure and potentially dire consequences from storms and dropping temperatures. Risks include hypothermia, frostbite and the spread of colds and viruses.
City officials said the Gateway Center’s first responder receiving area — which features private assessment rooms for those who don’t need medical attention — is a key piece of their strategy.
The receiving area can be used for emergency overnight beds — it has 10 — while longer-term shelter options like those at Gateway West are accessed. Gateway West’s capacity is 660 and as of Friday, it had about 100 beds available. The current capacity at the Gateway Center is 50 beds — all of which were occupied as of Friday.
Officials stressed, however, that they’d find a way to provide an emergency bed to anyone who needs it.
“We just had our first freeze in Albuquerque, and we’re ready to get anyone that accepts help inside to a safe, warm bed,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a written statement prior to the event. “Cold weather can quickly become life-threatening for unsheltered folks, which is why we work together at the city and with our partners to connect people to the services they need.”
Albuquerque Community Safety staff often provide the transportation to the receiving area and to city shelters. During the colder months, the department said it will expand its emergency, after-hours transportation services from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. A ride can be requested by calling (505) 418-6178.
In addition, to assist first responders and others searching for shelter beds and other services, the city launched a new shelter connect dashboard. The site is intended to show updated bed availability at shelters throughout the city.
Meanwhile, the dangers of illegal outside fires — which tend to increase during colder weather — were also on the minds of officials. To stay warm and cook food, some turn to lighting small illegal fires outside, which can result in significant injuries, property damage and property loss.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Jimmy Melek said crews were already seeing an increase.
“Preparations are already underway to get our outside fire response truck in service. It is expected to be in service in the next few weeks,” he said.
AFR’s outside fire response truck — designed to be lightweight and agile — is beginning operations about a month earlier this year. When it responds to fires that have been lit by those experiencing homelessness, Melek said crews will offer connections to shelters through Albuquerque Community Safety. If services aren’t accepted, crews will offer blankets and coats.
Last year, the truck responded to more than 1,700 outside fire calls from late December through mid-April.
9 arrested in federal investigation into drug trafficking at New Mexico prison - Associated Press
Nine people were arrested this week in connection with a suspected drug trafficking operation at a federal prison in a small New Mexico town, authorities announced Friday.
The arrests were made Wednesday as the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service raided 13 homes across the northwestern part of the state, mostly in Albuquerque, New Mexico's largest city.
Among those arrested were two people currently incarcerated at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, an hour's drive west of Albuquerque. Around 750 people, including some held on immigration detainers, are incarcerated at the private prison.
Authorities in a news release announcing the arrests described the drug-dealing operation as a "significant drug trafficking network" that extended beyond the walls of the minimum-security prison, to include inmates' spouses, family members and associates.
Recently, corrections officers found inside the prison more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, heroin and methamphetamine, according to a copy of the federal government's application to search the 13 homes this week. Authorities said they confiscated 15 firearms, ammunition, fentanyl, methamphetamine and thousands of dollars during the searches.
"The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of addiction for profit in our correctional facilities," Alexander Uballez, the U.S. attorney in New Mexico, said in a statement.