Important Info on 10/4 ABQ Election

From Eleanor Bailey, "From the Horse's Mouth":

For your information re the Oct. 4, 2005 Municipal Election: When I went to the City Clerk's Office to pursue details I was invited to speak to Judy Chavez, the City Clerk herself. These are her words.  (Feel free to share them with anyone you wish.)

Procedures for Voting Absentee

1. A Request for Absentee Application must be filled in and delivered or mailed to the City Clerk's office.  The address is on the form. This form may be obtained from the web site
   www.cabq.gov.  Click on City Clerk.  It may be copied at will. The City Clerk will mail to the registered voter and Albuquerque resident the Application for an Absentee Ballot.  Copying of this form is prohibited.
2. The voter mails the application back to the City Clerk or delivers it there.  Processing will take place immediately upon receipt and an Absentee Ballot will be mailed to the voter.
3. To cast your vote, mail or deliver the Absentee Ballot to the City Clerk by 7:00 PM on Oct. 4, 2005.

Office hours that day will be from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.  Otherwise the office is open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 PM.  The mailing address is: P.O. Box 1293, Albuquerque, NM 87103. The City Clerk's office is on the 11th floor of the City/County Building on the corner of 5th and Marquette in downtown Albuquerque.

Early Voting

Between Sept. 14 and Sept. 30, 2005 any currently registered Albuquerque resident may vote early at one of two sites:

• The City Clerk"s Office (location above)
• City of Albuquerque Records Center at 604 Menaul NW (corner of 6th
  and Menaul)

During that period both will be open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  In addition they will be open on only two Saturdays, Sept. 17 and 24, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Anyone who already has received an absentee ballot my vote in person at an early voting site.

On What Will We Vote?

Mayor and City Council members from odd-numbered Districts
Ten Bond Issues
Three Propositions on:

• Voter ID
• Raising the Minimum Wage
• Election Reform (voluntary limits on campaign spending and equal public financing of campaigns for elections)

You may get a sample ballot starting Sept. 7. 2005 at the City Clerk's Office.

The full text of the issues will be published as follows:

• Albuquerque Journal, Sept. 11, 18, 25 and Oct. 2, all Sundays.
• El Hispano (in Spanish), Sept. 1, 8, 15 and 22, all Thursdays
• Albuquerque Tribune, Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24, all Saturdays.

The text of the Bond Issues will be published separately in the Albuquerque Journal and the Albuquerque Tribune on a Friday, probably soon.