State canvassing board orders vote recounts in 34 tight races around New Mexico

SANTA FE — For most cities and towns around New Mexico, the winners of local races were unofficially decided on Election Day this month.

But the votes will be retallied in 34 different races around the state that featured narrow vote margins, after the State Canvassing Board signed off Tuesday on automatic recounts.

The races heading to automatic recount include mayoral, city council, municipal judge and school board contests around New Mexico.

Specifically, mayoral races in Des Moines, Maxwell, Tatum, Jal and Estancia all fell within the vote margin needed to trigger an automatic recount under state law. For local elections, that margin is either less than 1 percentage point between the two top vote-getters, or five or fewer votes separating the candidates.

The recounts in 34 races will be conducted by county clerks starting next week. The state canvassing board will then meet again Dec. 11 to certify results.

If any races are tied after the recount, they will be decided by “lot,” per state statute. That could mean drawing cards, a coin toss or another tie-breaking method.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said Tuesday this year’s election featured the highest-ever turnout for a regular local election, as 25.3% of registered voters statewide cast ballots.

That includes more than 6,000 voters who took advantage of a same-day voter registration option that allows eligible voters to register to vote and then cast their ballot on Election Day, said Toulouse Oliver.

Voter turnout rates are typically higher in statewide elections, and particularly in presidential election years. For instance, last year’s New Mexico general election had a 69.1% turnout rate.

Increasing turnout and reducing administrative costs were the primary goals of the Local Election Act, which was approved by state lawmakers in 2018. Before that law passed, elections for municipal offices, school boards and other local bodies used to be held on different dates around New Mexico.

However, some New Mexico municipalities have declined to opt into the consolidated local election act, a list that includes Rio Rancho, Clovis, Artesia, Santa Rosa and Española.

“We have increased the turnout,” Toulouse Oliver said, referring to voter participation in this year’s local election.

Meanwhile, some New Mexico municipalities use runoff elections to determine the winner of races in which no candidate receives a majority of votes cast.

Three races will be decided in Albuquerque’s runoff election on Dec. 9, including a high-profile mayoral race featuring incumbent Tim Keller and challenger Darren White.