The jungle telegraph has been pretty quiet this week concerning the March 6 election in Rio Rancho.
But there are some critical dates just ahead.
Tuesday is the deadline for city residents 18 years old or older who wish to vote and are not already registered to register at the county clerk’s office.
On the same day, Rio Rancho candidates must file their first campaign finance reports with the city clerk’s office.
Looking further ahead, a topic on some campaign watchers minds is the candidate forum scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Destiny Center.
An ad that ran recently in the Rio Rancho Observer said the newspaper is sponsoring the event along with “Sandoval County Business Builders Kiwanis.”
Sandoval County Business Builders is a nonprofit that helps support communities and businesses and is a member of Kiwanis, the global community service organization, according to http://sites.google.com/site/sandovalcountybusinessbuilders, the website that shows up when you do a Google search.
What raised concern from some Rio Rancho residents, including Cheryl Everett, who is president of Rio Rancho Cares, was an endorsement from Jason Ashby posted on candidate Michael Williams’ election website, vote4mikewilliams.com.
Ashby is the president of Sandoval County Business Builders. Williams, the incumbent in District 1, is listed as one of the candidates who will appear at the Feb. 13 forum.
Ashby said the comment on Williams’ website was taken from a Facebook posting made before the election process and has no bearing on the forum.
“The statement itself says nothing in regards to politics. It’s only about his work ethic,” Ashby said. “Anytime we’ve ever had an issue and have taken it to Williams, it’s been dealt with.”
Sandoval County Business Builders is not endorsing or backing anyone. The purpose of the forum is informational only and includes all candidates, he said.
Questions will be coming from different areas of the community, including city residents, local businesses and the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce. They will be submitted secretly to forum moderator Rockford Hayes, publisher and co-owner of the Observer, Ashby said.
Everett pointed out she canceled a forum Rio Rancho Cares planned to hold for District 6 candidates on Tuesday after controversy arose over candidate Marilyn Salzman’s previous ties to the organization. Salzman resigned as Rio Rancho Cares president two days before she filed her candidacy.
Thirty-one days to the election. Stay tuned.
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