Regular Local Election

Early voting in the runoff election for Albuquerque City Council District 6 begins Tuesday, Nov. 21. The city requires runoffs when no candidate secures more than half of votes cast in the race. Bernalillo County has requested over a million dollars to ramp polling places back up.

The runoff for Albuquerque City Council District 6 kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 21, with early voting ahead of the Dec. 12 election. The four-way race for the seat has become a head-to-head contest between November’s top two finishers, Nichole Rogers and Jeff Hoehn. The candidates are making their cases for why their experience sets them apart.

As the race for Albuquerque City Council District 6 heads into a runoff election, the field has narrowed from four to two. Voters who came out for one of the two candidates who didn’t make the cut for the runoff must now assess whether the platforms of Democrats Nichole Rogers or Jeff Hoehn better align with their values and expectations. The two differ greatly on their approaches to policing and public safety.

While local elections can get a boost on participation when there’s a key office or issue on the ballot, they don’t see near the turnout that statewide and national contests do. However, even without a mayor up for election, Santa Fe County residents came out in large numbers Tuesday. That was not the case for the state’s largest county.

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, is Election Day across New Mexico. Whether or not a particular municipality is participating in the Regular Local Election this year, all 33 counties will hold a vote. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is a small village with agricultural roots near the city's north valley. The semi-rural community is also an expensive place to live. The affordability of housing amid an aging demographic has become a key debate in the four-way contest for mayor.

Two of the seven City of Albuquerque bonds on the ballot in the Nov. 7 election go towards issues top-of-mind for many residents, elected officials and city council candidates alike: public safety and housing. Albuquerque Fire Rescue — not police — would see the biggest chunk of the $25 million public safety bond, and affordable housing would get the single largest windfall from another $35 million pot of money up for voter approval.

Albuquerque voters have a number of bonds on their ballot this year to fund city infrastructure. Over $88 million dollars across three general obligation bonds would go toward improving city roads, buildings, animal shelters, storm sewer systems, and energy conservation if passed.

Albuquerque residents have several bonds on their ballots this election related to education. Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque Public Schools, and city libraries and museums all stand to receive millions in public funding for capital projects. The largest of the three, which will appear on Bernalillo and Sandoval County ballots, is for CNM, which stands to receive $80 million for campus improvements.

Tuesday, Oct. 24, is the last day to request an absentee ballot for the 2023 Regular Local Election. Some states require voters to have an excuse to vote absentee, but not New Mexico.