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After recounts, margin in tax election narrows

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Elections officials in Doña Ana County announced revised unofficial results from the spaceport tax election this morning that have tax supporters ahead by 173 votes, or 1 percent, with 571 provisional ballots to consider. The unofficial count now has 8,703 votes, or 50.5 percent, in favor of enacting the tax and 8,530 votes, or 49.5 percent, opposed, officials announced at this morning’s county commission meeting. The new numbers, announced this morning, come after elections officials spent Thursday performing three hand counts and a computer recount. They do not include any provisional ballots. The previous unofficial results gave spaceport tax supporters a 204-vote, 1.2-percent lead – 8,781 votes to 8,577 – with 541 provisional ballots to be considered. Continue Reading

Officials reviewing election results, provisional ballots

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A day after the spaceport tax election in Doña Ana County, elections workers were double checking unofficial results and beginning the process of sorting through provisional ballots. County officials didn’t release any new numbers today. The last numbers reported give spaceport tax supporters a 204-vote, 1.2-percent lead – 8,781 votes to 8,577 – with 541 provisional ballots to be considered. County spokesman Jess Williams said no new information would be released until the commission convened as the canvassing board Thursday morning. One question that remained Tuesday night related to the polling place at Booker T. Washington Elementary in Las Cruces. Continue Reading

Aragon, others will be arraigned on Monday

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Former Senate President Pro Tem Manny Aragon and three others will be arraigned Monday on charges that they stole $4.2 million from taxpayers, according to the Albuquerque Tribune. Aragon hasn’t yet spoken publicly about the indictment, so this will likely be his first public appearance since being charged last week. The four were indicted in a massive public corruption scandal involving the construction of the $83-million Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse. They’re facing felony charges of conspiracy, money laundering and mail fraud, and are accused of misusing the state’s approval process of funds for the project to pocket money for themselves. Read the indictment by clicking here. Continue Reading

McCamley announces he’ll attempt to unseat Pearce

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Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley announced today that he’s running for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Steve Pearce, R-N.M. McCamley, a Democrat, will have to face Al Kissling in a primary to earn the right to take on Pearce next year. There’s also a possibility that other Democrats, including State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, will enter the race. The stars will have to align for a Democrat to take down Pearce, Albuquerque pollster Brian Sanderoff said. Pearce, 59, was first elected in 2002 and has fought off challenges from strong Democrats in the past. McCamley said he’s up to the task. Continue Reading

Richardson begins acting on ethics reform bills

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Gov. Bill Richardson has signed a bill that imposes limits on gifts to public officials and candidates for state offices. He also said he will line-item veto part of another ethics bill that was approved this year by the Legislature. Senate Bill 931, sponsored by John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe, takes effect June 15. It prohibits public officials and candidates for state offices from accepting gifts with value of more than $100 during legislative sessions and $250 during the rest of the year. It also prohibits lobbyists from giving gifts whose combined value total more than $1,000 to any state official or candidate for state office each year. Continue Reading

Richardson courts young voters in New York City

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A little more than a week ago, Gov. Bill Richardson spoke to group of young Democrats in New York City. Here’s video of his speech. Click here to read one woman’s take on it. Liza Sabater was quite impressed with New Mexico’s governor. Apparently, Richardson spent the majority of his time answering questions rather than giving a speech, and Sabater wrote that Richardson “charms the pants off of NYCers.” The video comes from The Daily Gotham. Continue Reading

Precedent suggests spaceport tax will be approved, but this election has already bucked historical trends

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If historical trends are an indicator, Doña Ana County will enact a 1/4 percent gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America, but this election, in the case of early and absentee ballots, has already bucked tradition. So the reality is that the election is too close to call. “We knew this would be a close election and that’s proven true, as tonight the vote is simply to close to call,” Gov. Bill Richardson said Tuesday night. “What is clear is that the voters of Doña Ana are both cautious with public investment and hopeful in seeking to create a high-tech, high-wage economy and improve math and science education for Southern New Mexico.” Unofficial results, with everything but provisional ballots counted, give spaceport tax supporters a 204-vote, 1.2-percent lead – 8,781 votes to 8,577. But there are 541 provisional ballots yet to be dealt with, and they have the potential to change everything. Continue Reading

Spaceport tax election won’t be decided tonight

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I’m not sure where the discrepancy is, but the county’s official count has the spaceport tax supporters up by 273 votes. I have them up by 260. Either way, all that remains, besides provisional ballots, is a precinct from Chamberino. A cartridge that contains the vote totals was left in the machine there, said Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins, and he had to send someone down there to pick it up. He’s hoping to have the cartridge by 11 p.m. That cartridge is unlikely to decide this election tonight, however. Continue Reading

One precinct out; provisionals will likely decide result

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Absentee ballots are split down the middle, and it’s appearing increasingly likely that the spaceport tax is going to come down to provision ballots. Of absentee ballots, 238 opposed the tax and 224 favored it. The total count, with all but one precinct reporting, is 8,754 votes, or 50.8 percent, for the tax, and 8,494 votes, or 49.2 percent, opposed. That’s a margin of 260 votes, or 1.6 percent. There are at least 349 provisional ballots. Continue Reading

Spaceport tax opponents gaining ground

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With 104 precincts reporting, spaceport opponents are gaining on supporters. The count is now 8,510 votes, or 50.9 percent, in favor of the tax, and 8,200 votes, or 49.1 percent, opposed. The difference is 310 votes, or 1.8 percent. Left to count in addition to provisional ballots are ballots from three precincts and 427 absentee votes. The current margin is smaller than the number of provisional ballots submitted. Continue Reading

South-county ballots yet to be counted

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A number of precincts from Southern Doña Ana County have just returned their ballots, so unofficial results from all precincts should be reported soon, said Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins. With 90 precincts reporting, tax supporters have a 503-vote lead. There are 349 provisional ballots from those precincts, Ellins said. In addition, 427 absentee ballots have yet to be counted, he said. There will be more provisional ballots from the south. Continue Reading

Voter turnout is higher than expected

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With 24 precincts yet to report, voter turnout is already unexpectedly high in the spaceport tax election. The county’s tally with 83 of 107 precincts reporting includes 14,787 votes. We know there are at least 400 absentee ballots, so that brings the total number of ballots up to at least 15,187. That’s 15.7 percent of the 96,435 registered voters in the county. New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans predicted this morning voter turnout of 10-15 percent. Continue Reading