Democracy for New Mexico

Primary Election Day 2012 Results at 11:30 PM

We have been following the election results here all evening. We had fun on Heath Haussamen's NMPolitics.net following along on a lively liveblog. We all were waiting patiently. Getting frustrated to watch the live tweets come in from the Heather Wilson camp, while we were waiting for results that mattered to democrats.

Eventually tallies started to come in from across the state. As I write this post now at 12:30 AM it is not entirely clear in some races who is the winner.

What we do know is that Martin Heinrich will be the democrat running against Republican Heather Wilson.

The CD1 race looks like Michelle may hold onto her 4% lead over Griego.

Senate races we were following: Senator Sapien prevailed over Roderfer, Rep. Bill ONeill won in the Senate District 13 that Dede Feldman is vacating. Michael Padilla won out over James Taylor, and Eleanor Chavez in SD14, Jacob Candelaria won his dem primary for SD26. Looks like Maxine Velasquez is holding a good lead over Ulibarri but Clemente Sanchez is  very close to Maxine.

DA Kari Brandenburg made it over Jennifer Romero, good try Jennifer.

PRC1 looks like Karen Montoya won.

House of Representative democratic primary races: District 23 voted for Dem Marci Blaze, Christine Trujillo got 61% of her district, Emily Kane the firefighter won in House District 15, Sheryl Williams Stapleton kept her seat safe from a challenge by Cara Valente Compton.

To see all totals go to the Bernalillo County site or the SOS site here.

Some of the results I am happy about some not so much. But overall every darn democrat who has won their primary I am going to work my tale off for you to win in the general.

In closing let's remember the republican opponent we are now facing: this from Heath,NMPolitics.net: Jay McCleskey, the governor's political adviser, comes out as the political strategist for Reform NM Now PAC, sends me this statement:
Reform New Mexico Now played in the following districts:
Senate District 4 for Munoz; Against Jackson
Senate District 8 for Campos, against Garcia
Senate District 14 against E. Chavez
Senate District 35 for Smith, against Martinez
Senate District 39 for Griego, against Sullivan
House District 5 — for Sandra Jeff
House District 6 — Against Alcon
House District 46 — For Trujillo, Against Coss
We spent approximately $100,000 in those races on two dozen mailers and radio ads, beginning the Wednesday before the election.

Good Night folks!

One Hour til Our NM Primary Polls Close and Live Blog Here After with NMPolitics.net

Word is the turn out is still low. How sad that our own citizens do not vote, we spend all our treasure going around the world fighting in distant countries for others to have the right to vote and meanwhile we sit back and do not do the bare minimum of what our democracy requires of us - to VOTE. It saddens me really and frustrates me, there is so much at stake.

On election day as a blogger you get to see how all your work is helping people. The hits for this site are off the chart! They are extremely great and I can feel proud of all the work I have done over the months and all the work Barb did for years on this site. Barb was always at the helm for every election day, this is my first, and I am floored by people leaving their research on candidates to the last minute.

In the past Barb and I would be hustling around doing what we could to help get the vote out, and helping candidates, and blogging, taking pictures and videos, going to the parties. We would both be nerve racked. Democracy is exciting!

Heath Haussamen at NMpolitics.net is hosting a live blog tonight, which he has invited people that come to the DFNM blog to chime into his live blog through this blog. Maybe that description is too confusing - so just go to the box below and read and write if the spirit moves you. It is where I will be hangin'. Thanks Heath for putting this together. 

June 5th; Primary Election Day Voting Information

Today is the long awaited primary election day for New Mexico. In Bernalillo County please click on the following link to find out all about where to .

Go to the following link, my voter info; and all you have to do is enter your name and date of birth and you can find all the information you need to know about who your choices are to vote for at your registered voting address.

The turnout is low, real low, pitifully low. As of the end of early voting we are at a 6% turnout. There are a total of 406,093 registered voters in Bernalillo County and 25,859 have voted.

We spend millions and millions of tax dollars setting up vote centers and monitoring the elections. We go to other sides of the world to supposedly fight for democracy, for people to have the right to vote for their leaders. And this is the best we can do Albuquerque?  GO VOTE! It matters!

 

Mitt Romney’s Decision to Skip a Visit to New Mexico

Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney decided to skip a visit to New Mexico for our primary. Romney’s decision to ignore New Mexico and skip a visit to our state is unprecedented in the history of GOP presidential candidates and shows how out of touch he is with New Mexico’s middle class. Instead, Romney will spend the day in Texas at a high-dollar fundraiser with big donors.

One would presume Romney and gang feels the state is getting sufficiently screwed up and corrupted by our own homegrown Republicans.

With the latest events of fat cat oil donors providing fat cash for the Reform NM Now PAC, and then the so called "Reform PAC" sending out mailers favoring a democrat of their choice in hotly contested democratic primary races, the captain of the republican ship here in NM is doing a fine job without Mitt needing to parachute in. Maybe when Romney flies out of Texas he can fly low over NM and throw some bails of money out to the Susana PAC's.  

The democratic primary races which Susana PAC's are meddling in are all in NM district's that do not have a republican running. "Reform New Mexico Now" targeted David Coss and therefore sent out mailers supporting Carl Trujillo, they targeted Jack Sullivan and supported Sen. Phil Griego in mailers within that district.

Lastly, that we know about, Reform NM targeted Eleanor Chavez with direct mailers to try to influence that race for the benefit of the republican of their choosing - James Taylor. Representative Chavez has filed a complaint to Secretary Duran's office, you can see the Reform New Mexico Now Complaint Press Release here. Sounds like Senator James Taylor is the beneficiary of that mailer, no wonder, Taylor still has a bone to pick for loosing 4 years ago to Eric Griego. X dem Senator Taylor would for sure cozy up to the Republican Martinez anti reform PAC to win back his office. Remember Shannon Robinson, he at least had the courage and fortitude to change parties from dem to republican, so he could run against Senator Tim Keller who won X dem Senator Robinson's seat 4 years ago as well.

The whole thing makes me throw up a little bit into my mouth.

Reading the blogs and news today was disappointing. The fact that republicans are influencing our democratic primaries through the obscene money allowed into campaigns through the Citizens United decision, is appalling.

And that reminds me, I really admired the civility of the Dem Senatorial debate on Sunday evening. Two very smart democrats talking about the issues. Some blogs called it a love fest, I saw it as mature senatorial performances. Good going Hector and Martin, Thank you for making me proud to be a Democrat. People are hurting out here. We need solutions and people to help us get jobs not more payoffs with no results for the people.

Sierra Club Primary Endorsements: Vote June 5!

On May 31, Sierra Club released the following endorsements for primary candidates.

On June 5, we have a golden opportunity to select candidates who will protect New Mexico's air, land, and water.

In several Democratic primary races, we have excellent chances to replace anti-environment elected officials with environmental champions. Check out our endorsements below and vote early until Saturday or on Election Day, June 5.

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter endorses:
(Note: non-incumbents not listed if they are in unopposed primaries.)

U.S. Senate: Martin Heinrich

U.S. House of Representatives, District 1: Eric Griego
U.S. House of Representatives, District 3: Ben Ray Luján

Public Regulation Commission, District 3: Virginia Vigil

Santa Fe County Commission, District 2: Maria-Ester De Anda
Santa Fe County Commission, District 4: Kathleen Holian
Santa Fe County Commission, District 5: Elizabeth Stefanics

New Mexico House of Representatives:

District 14: Rep. Miguel Garcia
District 16: Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas
District 17: Rep. Ed Sandoval
District 18: Rep. Gail Chasey
District 21: Rep. Mimi Stewart
District 34: Rep. Mary Helen Garcia
District 35: Rep. Antonio Lujan
District 42: Rep. Bobby Gonzales
District 46: David Coss
District 47: Rep. Brian Egolf
District 48: Rep. Lucky Varela
District 50: Stephen P. Easley
District 65: Rep. James Madelena
District 69: Rep. Ken Martinez

New Mexico Senate:

District 3: Sen. John Pinto
District 6: Sen. Carlos Cisneros
District 8: Sen. Pete Campos
District 9: Ben Rodefer
Disrtict 11: Sen. Linda Lopez
District 12: Sen. Jerry Ortiz Y Pino
District 14: Eleanor Chavez
District 15: Sen. Tim Eichenberg
District 16: Sen. Cisco McSorley
District 17: Sen. Tim Keller
District 21: Senator Lisa Curtis
District 24: Sen. Nancy Rodriguez
District 25: Sen. Peter Wirth
District 26: Jacob Candelaria
District 28: Sen. Howie Morales
District 29: Sen. Michael Sanchez
District 30: Maxine Velasquez
District 36: Sen. MaryJane Garcia
District 38: Sen. Mary Kay Papen
District 39: Jack Sullivan

Guest Blog by Jennifer Romero "Over Charging and Mischarging Costly"

Guest blog post by Jennifer Romero candidate for Bernalillo County District Attorney. Jennifer is running against current DA Kari Brandenburg.

A few years ago, a friend gave me a book on the collateral consequences of incarceration. It was an interesting read, but I had already witnessed most of these consequences up close and personal during my time as a public defender.

Being locked up isn’t the worst part of going to jail, and the problems created by incarceration don’t end when a person is released from custody.

Most people who stay in custody longer than a week lose their jobs. Depending on how long they are incarcerated, and how much money they had, many also lose their homes, cars and families.

When a person is finally released from jail, they are dropped off downtown near the old jail and not given a second thought. Where will they sleep? Eat? Live? Work? With few resources, many are doomed to fail on probation and destined to doing life on the installment plan.

Over the past five years, there have been troubling trends in overcharging by the DAs office which has in turn led to over-incarceration at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Two areas are most notable: drug offenses and domestic violence.

New Mexico law allows for a charge of drug trafficking by either distribution (actually selling or distributing drugs) or possession with intent to distribute (which is determined primarily by the quantity).

New Mexico courts have said there is no bright line rule to determine the difference between a personal use amount and a trafficking amount. The 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office believes that even small amounts (two or three rocks of crack, two grams of cocaine, two bee-bees of heroine) are more than personal use amounts. The result is that these individuals, who would have normally been released on their own recognizance or on a reasonable bond had they been charged with the appropriate crime of possession, instead are held on high bonds (bonds real drug traffickers have no difficulty posting!). All of these cases take years to be heard in our overburdened court system. Meanwhile, serious cases fall through the cracks.

Domestic violence is another area where overcharging is common. The kidnapping statute in New Mexico is broad and the DAs office in Bernalillo County has taken advantage of this by tacking on a charge of first degree kidnapping wherever possible. If an offender stood in front of a door, held or grabbed the alleged victim in any way, they often find themselves overcharged.

Cases that should have been charged as battery on a household member, a misdemeanor carrying up to a year in jail, are frequently inflated to include first degree kidnapping, a charge which carries 18 mandatory years in prison. Misdemeanor domestic violence cases typically resolve fairly quickly, and the defendant is usually out of custody and often able to take advantage of counseling even while the case is pending. They are able to support their families and, if possible, to put their family back together.

Because first degree kidnapping carries mandatory time, this charge results in high bonds that few can post. Those facing allegations of kidnapping are ineligible for release on pretrial services or house arrest. Since the risks are so high, these cases also take a much longer time to resolve, clogging the dockets in our overburdened court system. In my entire career, I have seen only a handful of cases that truly involved kidnapping against a household member and resulted in a conviction on that charge. The rest ultimately resulted in convictions for misdemeanors or lower level felonies, but only after the offender spent years in custody waiting for the case to wind its way through the court system.

Over the years, many victims of domestic violence have contacted me to say that they will never call the police again, because the overkill response resulted in them losing one of their household’s breadwinners, losing their home and finding themselves and their children in danger of being on the street. Then, by the time the offender was released, he or she had served all of the time and the court was without jurisdiction to supervise and insure that there was counseling if necessary.

We all pay the price of overcharging and over-incarceration. We spend more than a quarter of our county’s budget on the Metropolitan Detention Center, and a large portion includes these cases. Our community is paying twice for over-incarceration, as people who could have become productive members of society lose that opportunity and ability and we end up supporting their families via welfare programs.

Resources that are wasted on overcharging and over-incarceration are better spent on much needed programs. At this time Drug Court and Veteran’s Court are severely underfunded.

On Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms. Let’s also honor those who have returned from wars with battle scars that very few of us can understand by making sure we have the funding to provide services within the courts.

We won’t have the resources to fund these important programs until we start getting smart on crime. Bernalillo County can’t afford another four years of overcharging and over-incarceration. It’s time for a reasonable District Attorney who will put people before politics. Please support my “smart on crime” policies by voting for me on June 5.

Elections Matter - GO VOTE!!

Early Primary Voting begins today, visit this Bernalillo County Website to find out where to go.

The Albuquerque City Councilconvened until 11:45 pm last night. The city council is made up of 5 Republicans and 4 Democrats. The Abq City Councilors are not up for election this year. However, a point should be made regarding our elected officials these days, there is a big difference in elected officials that vote for the corporations and big business and there own interests, and the elected officials who vote for the people, for the betterment of peoples lives.

Watching the City Council meeting unfold last night was yet another awaken. We saw the last of the public TV air waves in albuquerque be gobbled up by the conglomerate Comcast. Comcast has all the other stations and now they have these few stations as well. There is never anything on any of the 100's of stations, and now they have more to fill with dumbed down nothingness. Anything but letting the public message get out even through such a tiny crack as the 4 public access TV stations Albuquerque had until last night. Another victory for the corporations another loss for the people. Thanks to the Republican controlled Council and the Republican Mayor.

The other big loss for the people was the adoption of the sector plan in the Coronado Village area. This is a complex matter which the City Council has been dealing with for some time. Basically it will allow for the people living in an old established manufactured homes community to be displaced in the future for a big box store. It is no wonder the 5 R's voted for the zoning of the land to be returned to the type to allow big box stores like Walmart to move in.

So let's summarize all the losses just in one night due to the Republicans being in power in Albuquerque City Government.

1. No more public TV access for us, the citizens, the people who own the air waves which the comcast conglomerates are stealing, and the republicans are handing over to them.
2. Citizens whom have lived in a Manufactured home park, living a modest live, paying there fair share of taxes will be evicted soon for another Walmart to move in.
3. The big box store Walmart will move in and will not pay their fair share of taxes to New Mexico. Thanks to our republican governor whom vetoed SB9 a bill which would have stopped a loophole used by big box stores to opt out of paying their taxes to this state. SB9 passed the Senate and the House because it is good for New Mexico. Too many republican legislators voted against correcting this tax loophole which harms small business in our state, putting our own NM stores at a disadvantage. SB9 is commonsense bill, which would clearly help New Mexicans.

Here we are in yet another very big election during our lifetime on the planet. Everything is at stake, from contaminating our Earth more to our civil rights to exist in peace. Go vote, get your friends to go vote, get your family to go vote. Elections matter!

This primary election is a closed party affiliation vote. As citizens we must elect the best democratic candidates to run against the corporatist republicans in November. Much is at stake; President Obama's reelection, holding onto democratic control of the US Senate and regaining democratic control of Congress. And here in the state of NM; to maintain the majority in the NM Senate and House. Imagine the unraveling if our NM state house and senate fall into the control of the republicans.

Democracy for America (DFA) is conducting a poll: Who should we (DFA) support for Congress?

In an email from Nick Passanante, Deputy Political Director, Democracy for America he asks the following:

"We've been hearing a lot about the race in New Mexico's 1st Congressional district from local DFA members, so I wanted to check in to see where you stood.

DFA is committed to electing progressives who share our values of community, security and liberty, and as the country's only people-powered PAC, we want to hear from our members who we should support in this race. So, who do you support for Congress? Vote now. Thank you for all that you do."

FYI FOLKS: An endorsement by DFA is a big deal. What comes with it is additional funds for your campaign and additional people on the ground. Once they choose their candidate with the help of the people in the district, they work like crazy to get that person in. Seeing we are loosing Martin Heinrich in this seat they are particularily concerned about who "us the people" want to have as a strong replacement for Heinrich.

Please take the time to go VOTE in this poll!
Who do you support for Congress? Vote now.

11/5: Keeping it Blue in 1-2 DPNM Unity Rally at Villa Hispana in ABQ

Click image for larger version

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico:
One year before the November 2012 elections, New Mexico Democrats are holding a rally in Albuquerque to fire up our boots on the ground and send a message that we are fired up and ready to work every day for the next year to secure victory.

"Saturday November 5, 2011 kicks off the beginning of the door-to-door, neighbor to neighbor conversations that it's going to take to show New Mexicans that President Obama and the Democratic Party are fighting for working families, lowering healthcare costs, and getting our economy back on track," said DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales.

"The contrast for voters between Democrats and the Republicans could not be starker: Democrats are fighting for New Mexican families and Republicans like Susana Martinez are fighting for the wealthy,” Gonzales added.

Immediately following the rally, and again on Sunday, Democrats will launch their door-to-door canvassing efforts to inform and persuade voters that Democrats are the only choice to move New Mexico forward.

WHO: New Mexico Democrats, Congressman Ben Ray Lujan Jr., DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales, State Treasurer James Lewis, State Auditor Hector Balderas, Former Speaker of the House Raymond Sanchez, State Senator Tim Keller, State Senator Eric Griego, Mayor Martin Chavez, Bernalillo County District Attorney Keri Brandenberg, Bernalillo County Commissioner Michelle Lujan-Grisham, Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya

WHAT: New Mexico Democrats rally one year before the 2012 elections to to fight for working families, lowering healthcare costs, and getting our economy back on track.

WHEN: Saturday, November, 5, 2011 from 10AM to12PM

WHERE: Villa Hispana, NM State Fairgrounds

Comment Now on BernCo Clerk's Voting Convenience Center Proposal

Bernalillo County Clerk is rolling out her proposal that the implement Voting Convenience Centers (VCC) in lieu of precinct-specific locations for the Primary and General Elections in 2012. VCC's are similar to Early Voting Centers in that any voter can obtain his or her appropriate ballot and vote at any VCC he or she finds to be convenient. Each VCC will have the ability to print out a ballot that contains the proper listing of candidates, ballot questions, etc., for any precinct in the county where a voter resides.

“Legislation was passed last year to allow all Clerks in New Mexico the option of implementing Voting Convenience Centers,” said Clerk Toulouse Oliver in a statement released today. “My staff and I have prepared a detailed proposal and we are seeking input from the public in an effort to make certain that we have incorporated all essential elements.”

“Our analysis shows that VCCs will be more convenient while cutting costs for county taxpayers and voters. The 65 locations will be strategically located throughout the City and County and will be easily accessible. Having 65 locations instead of the traditional 172 on election day will cut down significantly on manpower and supplies, resulting in a potential savings of upward of $1 million dollars,” she continued. “More and more voters are taking advantage of Early Voting and VCCs are a logical extension.”

Members of the public can view or print the proposal on the front page of the website at www.bernco.gov or click for a direct link. Comments, questions or concerns can be sent via e-mail to votingconvenience@bernco.gov or you can call 468-1291.

The Clerk will also be hosting a public forum to present the proposal on Thursday, September 22, 2011 beginning at 6:00 PM in the Chambers at One Civic Plaza, NW.

The proposal will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval in October.