March 4, 2014 Regular Election

View Official Election Results
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The city's next regular municipal election will take place on Tuesday, March 4, 2014. On the ballot (and the order in which they will appear on the ballot) will be the following:
  • Mayor (four-year term, at-large)
    • Greggory D. Hull
    • Michael J. Williams
    • R. Morgan Braden
    • Jim Owen
  • Municipal Judge (four-year term, at-large)
    • Ramon M. Montano
    • Jeffrey A. Goen
    • G. Robert Cook
  • District 2 City Councilor (four-year term)
    • Dawnn Robinson
    • Darlene D. Collins
    • Sandra Jean Atwood
  • District 3 City Councilor (four-year term)
    • Tamara L. Gutierrez
    • Cheryl Ann Everett
  • District 5 City Councilor (four-year term)
    • Thomas R. Buckner
    • Timothy C. Crum
    • Shelby Smith
    • Paul Joseph Howell

Runoff Election

If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast in the March 4, 2014, regular election for each office, the candidates with the highest and second-highest vote totals from the regular election would be subject to a runoff election per City Code. The runoff election would be held between 35 days to 45 days after the canvass (scheduled for March 7, 2014) of the regular election is completed. The runoff election date would be set by vote of the Rio Rancho Governing Body at their March 12, 2014, regular meeting.

Election Day Voting

Voters on Election Day (March 4) will be able to cast their ballot at any of the four polling locations, or voting convenience centers, that will be available. Voting convenience center locations on Election Day will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will include:
  • Rio Rancho City Hall, 3200 Civic Center Circle NE, 87144
  • Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane, 87124
  • Mountain View Middle School, 4101 Montreal Loop NE, 87144
  • Soul Rio Community Church, 2003 Southern Blvd. SE, Suite 128-131, 87124

Absentee Voting

Applications for absentee ballots may be obtained from the Office of the City Clerk at Rio Rancho City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, Rio Rancho, NM 87144) beginning Jan. 28, 2014.

It is strongly recommended that an application for an absentee ballot is requested to be mailed by contacting the Office of the City Clerk at (505) 891-5004. By doing so, the Office of the City Clerk can verify registration and preempt any possible errors.
All applications for an absentee ballot must be completed and accepted by the Office of the City Clerk prior to 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2014.

The Office of the City Clerk will accept completed absentee ballots delivered by mail, in person by the voter casting the absentee ballot, by a member of the voter’s immediate family, or by the caregiver to the voter until 7 p.m. on March 4, 2014.

Absentee ballots may be marked in person in the Office of the City Clerk at Rio Rancho City Hall during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, from Jan. 28, 2014 through Feb. 28, 2014.

Early Voting

Early voting will be available at Rio Rancho City Hall during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, from Feb. 12, 2014 through Feb. 28, 2014.

Sample Ballots


Download and view sample ballots for informational purposes by clicking the links below.
Resident of City Council District 1 Sample Ballot
Resident of City Council District 2 Sample Ballot
Resident of City Council District 3 Sample Ballot
Resident of City Council District 4 Sample Ballot
Resident of City Council District 5 Sample Ballot
Resident of City Council District 6 Sample Ballot
*Al files in searchable PDF

If sample ballots are printed and distributed to others, please be aware of the state statute noted below. The city’s official sample ballot is yellow. Other printed sample ballots must be in a color other than yellow.

State Statute

3-8-17. Sample ballots. (2003)
A. At the same time official ballots are printed for voting with machines or paper ballots, the municipal clerk shall cause sample ballots to be printed, which shall:
(1) be printed in both English and Spanish;
(2) be printed in a total number equal to at least five percent of the number of qualified electors in each precinct or consolidated precinct;
(3) be the same in all respects as the official ballots, except that they shall be printed on colored paper and shall not contain the facsimile signature of the municipal clerk or any endorsement on the sample ballot or the back thereof;
(4) be marked in large black capital letters, "SAMPLE BALLOT"; and
(5) be made available in reasonable quantities to all interested persons for distribution to the voters.

B. Nothing in this section shall prevent any person from having printed at his expense sample ballots, of a different color than the official sample ballot, which comply with the provisions of this subsection, so long as no marks, notations, words or other material are added to, taken from or deface, change or hide the information on or the appearance of the sample ballot as authorized by the municipal clerk.

History: 1978 Comp., § 3-8-17, enacted by Laws 1985, ch. 208, § 25; 1993, ch. 22, § 2; 2003, ch. 244, § 3.

Voter Registration

City of Rio Rancho residents 18 years of age and older who wish to vote in this election, and are not already registered, must register with the Sandoval County Clerk's Office before 5 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2014.

For more information about registering to vote, the Sandoval County Clerk’s Office can be reached at (505) 867-7572, or on the Sandoval County website.

Voter Photo Identification

The following is information regarding required photo identification for Rio Rancho municipal elections:
  • When a voter approaches the election polling place seeking to vote, the voter must identify herself or himself audibly by name. The Municipal Election Clerk shall locate the registered voter’s name as spoken and ask the individual seeking to vote for one current identification card containing the voter’s name and photograph.
  • Such photo identification card may include any card issued by a government agency, driver’s license, student identification card, commercial transaction card (such as a credit or debit card), insurance card, union card, a professional association card or a voter identification card issued by the Rio Rancho City Clerk.
  • If the individual is unable to provide a photo identification card, she or he shall be allowed to vote on a conditional ballot, but only if she or he swears or affirms under penalty of perjury in an affidavit provided by the City Clerk that she or he is the registered voter listed on the voter registration rolls at the precinct at which she or he presented herself or himself to vote and provides her or his date of birth and the last four digits of her or his Social Security number.
  • Conditional ballots shall be issued for no other reason than the failure to present photo identification. Conditional ballots shall be counted only by the Canvassing Board and only on the voter’s presentation to the City Clerk within the three-day canvassing period one of the photo identification cards described in this section. The Canvassing Board shall also verify that the voter who cast the provisional ballot was registered to vote for the election and did not vote elsewhere in the same election. If a voter who cast a conditional ballot under this section swears or affirms under penalty of perjury in an affidavit provided by the City Clerk within the three-day canvassing period that she or he has a religious objection to being photographed, such voter shall not be required to submit photo identification. The Canvassing Board shall otherwise verify that the conditional ballot was valid.
  • Voter photo identification cards shall be issued by the City Clerk without charge to any voter who presents any two of the following identification documents that show the name and address of the voter: a state-issued identification card, Social Security card, student identification card, library card, insurance card, selective service card, union card, professional association card, utility bill, bank statement, government check or a paycheck. If the individual is unable to present any two of these documents to the City Clerk, then the voter shall swear or affirm in writing under penalty of perjury that she or he is the registered voter and shall be issued a voter photo identification card upon confirmation with the County Clerk that such person is registered to vote. The City Clerk issued photo identification card shall state on its face that it shall not be valid for identification other than for the purpose of voting in city of Rio Rancho municipal elections and shall not be valid if the voter is subsequently purged from the voter rolls.
  • Free city-issued voter photo identification is available now and can be obtained at the Office of the City Clerk at Rio Rancho City Hall, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Questions

For questions regarding absentee, early and Election Day voting, or obtaining a city-issued voter photo identification card, please contact the Rio Rancho Office of the City Clerk at (505) 891-5004.

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