By Kevin Hendricks
Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas is seeking a second term representing District 5, which covers much of east central Albuquerque, including Uptown and Four Hills, and all of the East Mountains. He faces Republican Thomas Riley on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Olivas, a Democrat, defeated radio station owner Byron Powdrell in the June primary, 55% to 44%, according to unofficial results from the county clerk’s office. A total of 15,655 votes were cast across both parties’ D5 primaries.
Platform
In a campaign statement, Olivas said the county has made progress but isn’t finished. “Too many in our community still feel unsafe and lack access to basic needs like healthcare, housing, and jobs that pay a living wage,” he wrote, adding he wants to “keep up this work on the county commission to continue to deliver for my hometown.” He said the county has “invested millions in public safety” while also emphasizing “prevention and crisis response,” and pointed to a shift toward regional collaboration on housing with the city of Albuquerque that he said is “attracting millions of dollars in state investment.”
Olivas’s campaign materials credit him with helping secure more than $60 million in state funding for a city-county housing initiative and say the effort aims to house 1,000 people within a year. The materials also say the Sheriff’s Office is now fully staffed and that funding for mental health crisis response teams has doubled during his tenure.
Background
Olivas has deep roots in the district, with family ties to Uptown Albuquerque and the Sedillo Hill area of the East Mountains. He attended Albuquerque Public Schools and graduated from Sandia High School, then earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology and a master’s degree in biology, both from the University of New Mexico. Both of his parents were public school teachers, and his wife, Savannah, is also an educator.
Olivas got his start in business young: at 13, his father bought him a lawnmower and he began mowing neighbors’ lawns. That work grew into Olivas Enterprises LLC, a landscaping and plumbing company that now contracts with homeowners and Fortune 500 companies alike. He’s a licensed journeyman plumber and mechanical contractor.
Beyond the commission, Olivas has served on his neighborhood association, the Northeast Community Policing Council and the Civilian Police Oversight Board, and has volunteered with the Animal Humane New Mexico. He describes himself as a hobby beekeeper and avid gardener who hikes the Bosque and the Foothills, and backpacks in the Pecos, with his family’s three rescue dogs, Oso, Sol and Clover.
Record of service
Olivas has chaired the County Commission and, separately, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority board, where he also currently chairs the Middle Rio Grande Water Resources Board. His record includes seats on the Community Schools Partnership Board and the Local Government Coordinating Commission, plus earlier local roles, including president of the Quigley Park Neighborhood Association and chair of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency Board.
Vote in the District 5 race:
Early voting, Clerk’s Annex only: Tuesday, Oct. 6 – Friday, Oct. 16, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
Early voting, most locations: Saturday, Oct. 17 – Saturday, Oct. 31, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3 (all early voting sites are also open)
Clerk’s Annex: 1500 Lomas Blvd. NW
Sites, sample ballot and voter info: berncoclerk.gov
Questions: 505-243-VOTE (8683) or clerk@bernco.gov