City’s first mail election in 14 years ends Monday

Albuquerque’s first election by mail in 14 years will lumber to a close on Monday, and unofficial results should be available later that night.

For voters who haven’t mailed in their ballots yet, City Clerk Amy Bailey recommends dropping them off in person on Monday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Only the voter, the voter’s immediate family or the voter’s caregiver may hand-deliver ballots.

Bailey advised against putting ballots in the mail today because she can’t guarantee they’ll arrive in her office on time.

And if you plan on voting, make sure you sign the outer envelope, which has space for the voter’s oath.

“I have to follow the law,” Bailey said, noting that a city ordinance prohibits her from counting unsigned ballots.

Voters who never received a ballot in the mail or who “spoiled” their ballot somehow still have time to get a new one, as long as they go to the city clerk’s office, Bailey said.

The office is at 600 Second NW, near the Lomas intersection. It’s a pyramid-shaped building, and Bailey’s staff is on the seventh floor.

Through Thursday, more than 55,000 people had returned signed ballots to the clerk’s office. That’s a turnout of at least 15 percent.

Another roughly 4,700 ballots came back unsigned, meaning they won’t be counted, Bailey said.

Monday’s special election was required after supporters of a City Charter amendment circulated petitions last year.

The results will determine whether municipal candidates must get at least 50 percent of the vote to win office. The requirement is now 40 percent, or the top two candidates compete in a second, runoff election.

City elections are nonpartisan, so there are no primary elections to narrow the field of candidates before the regular election.

Bailey said she hopes to start releasing unofficial results shortly after 7 p.m. Monday.
— This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal