Local elections typically bring lower turnouts than national contests. But the Bernalillo County Clerk reported Tuesday evening it was over 34% around 8:30 p.m. And in Albuquerque, the energy was high as voters voted for mayor and odd-numbered city council districts.
After serving two consecutive terms, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is battling five other candidates to keep his seat.
Caitlyn Oliver-Brown is 29 years old and has only lived in New Mexico for a year, but said her parents drilled into her how important local elections truly are. She voted for Alex Uballez, a candidate who has focused on reaching out to younger folks.
“Since Keller is running for his third term, I figure, you know, every so often we do need a fresh face in the office,” Oliver-Brown said.
Also on the ballots are bonds allocating funds for public schools, police department infrastructure, libraries, and so much more are being voted on today as well.
Isaiah ParisienCrowe is 29 and works at the University of New Mexico. He said local elections are important for the community, and it’s bigger than himself.
“I’m lucky. I have a great job, I have stable income, I’m not everybody else,” he said, “Just because I’m well off doesn’t mean somebody shouldn’t be able to afford just basic necessities in life. It’s a communal effort,”
The 11 general bonds give voters the chance to offer input on where to allocate funds in Albuquerque’s budget.
The polls are open until 7 p.m. across the city. More information on mayoral candidates is available here.
