{"id":47820,"date":"2025-09-05T16:11:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T23:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newmexicopbs.org\/productions\/newmexicoinfocus\/?p=47820"},"modified":"2025-09-05T16:11:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T23:11:30","slug":"nmif-takes-a-first-glance-at-the-albuquerque-mayoral-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newmexicopbs.org\/productions\/newmexicoinfocus\/nmif-takes-a-first-glance-at-the-albuquerque-mayoral-race\/","title":{"rendered":"NMiF Takes a First Glance at the Albuquerque Mayoral Race"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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While the midterm elections aren\u2019t until next year, which will also see a governor\u2019s race in New Mexico, local elections across the state this November also include some prominent seats, including mayor of both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. \u00a0

NMiF is kicking off our election coverage this week by introducing you to two of the lesser-known candidates vying for Albuquerque\u2019s top job. This race is just one of several we\u2019ll cover in the coming weeks, and the field vying\u00a0to keep Mayor Tim Keller from a historic third term is crowded \u2014 seven total<\/a>, including Keller. So, we had to make some choices about how to fairly give everyone airtime.\u00a0\u00a0

With reliable polling forthcoming, our team reviewed campaign finance data<\/a>, looking at contributions other than those that candidates made to themselves, along with the number of ballot petition signatures<\/a> each secured. That allowed us to create a threshold for who would get one-on-one interviews on In Focus. The two candidates Reporter Cailley Chella introduces you to this week, Eddie Varela and Daniel Chavez, fell below that mark. We learn about their positions on topics from crime to homelessness and the city\u2019s Immigrant-Friendly policy, or \u201csanctuary city\u201d status. \u00a0

We also bring some context to what\u2019s become a pretty consistently criticized element of city elections by candidates themselves: public financing. This year, only one Albuquerque mayoral candidate \u2014 notably the incumbent \u2014 qualified for a taxpayer-funded campaign. To get the windfall<\/a>, candidates must get $5 contributions from 1% of their voters over just a few weeks. For mayoral candidates, that\u2019s 3,780 contributions. For council candidates, it ranges from 335 to 466. It\u2019s a high bar \u2014 maybe too high, considering a handful of candidates who gave it an honest try couldn\u2019t get there this year<\/a>, or in years past. \u00a0

On this week\u2019s show, Senior Producer Lou DiVizio speaks with one of the architects of Albuquerque\u2019s public campaign financing system, former City Councilor Eric Griego, about why it exists in the first place, why it’s so hard to qualify, and whether it\u2019s due for some tweaks.\u00a0

In the coming weeks, we\u2019ll continue to introduce you to Albuquerque\u2019s mayoral candidates. We\u2019ll also take a look at Santa Fe\u2019s election, where voters will rank their top three contenders for Mayor Alan Webber\u2019s job, who\u2019s not seeking reelection, through the capital\u2019s ranked-choice voting model. \u00a0

Speaking of elections \u2014 I have an update for those of you who tuned in last week<\/a> to my two-parter on the shakeup\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0New Mexico Redistricting Task Force, a group seeking to make New Mexico\u2019s process fairer. I spoke with Democratic state Senator Harold Pope Jr<\/a>. about his decision to resign from the group amid the nationwide partisan gerrymandering fight, as well as\u00a0some remaining task force members<\/a> about how they planned to move forward without partisan balance. Well, as of Wednesday night, we know what that\u2019ll look like.\u00a0Instead of closed meetings where lawmakers and experts approve recommendations for how\u00a0New Mexico should draw its voting maps, the group will become an \u201ceducational panel,\u201d according to the League of Women Voters, which convenes the task force. \u00a0

\u201cWhat began as a genuine effort at collaboration to address voter suppression and promote fairness has been undermined,\u201d said the League\u2019s President Hannah Burling in a statement. \u201cWithout full representation, the task force can no longer fulfill its promise of fairness and balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So instead, the public is invited to attend two webinars to learn about why the task force made this change, how the national redistricting battles could impact New Mexico, and what can be learned from past recommendations and resolutions.\u00a0Those interested can register for the Sept. 10 and 17 sessions at fairdistrictsnm.org<\/a>. \u00a0

-Nash Jones, Host<\/p>\n\n\n

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