Rio Rancho runoff early voting pace outstrips March election
Early voting is running ahead of March's pace, but both candidates warn complacency could decide who becomes Rio Rancho's next mayor.
Rio Rancho voters are turning out for the mayoral runoff at a faster early-voting pace than they did for March’s six-candidate election — but both candidates warn that low turnout, not momentum, could decide who becomes the city’s next mayor.
More than 4,700 residents cast ballots in the first five days of early voting, March 31 through April 4, according to election data. That equals 5.8% of the city’s 81,919 registered voters — and already represents about 73% of all early votes cast during the entire early-voting period before the March 3 municipal election.
March 3 drew 13,814 total voters — a 16.96% turnout — across a full ballot that included three city council races, a municipal judge contest and three bond questions. April 14 features only the mayoral race, and historical patterns suggest runoff participation typically falls well below that mark.
Candidate Paul Wymer says the drop-off risk is his campaign’s central concern.
“The number of voters that we saw during the regular election was already low enough,” Wymer said. “Historically, the runoff elections are less than that. I fear that maybe some of my voter pool will say, ‘He’s got this. I don’t need to go vote.’ We really need everyone to get out and vote.”
Wymer led the March 3 field with 6,240 votes (45.2%) but fell short of the majority needed to win outright. Wymer described the message on his mailers and door hangers plainly: “Vote — low voter turnout could result in the candidate you don’t support winning.”
Alexandria Piland, who finished second in March with 3,672 votes (26.6%), said her campaign has not slowed since election night.
“We know that we just have to roll up our sleeves and get to work,” she said. “My team is the heart, and the volunteers are the soul.”
Piland has also argued that the low-turnout problem is rooted in city policy. Rio Rancho holds its municipal elections in March rather than November, a decision she calls a policy failure. Deputy City Manager Peter Wells has said moving elections to November would save taxpayers nearly half a million dollars and increase voter participation.
“[The election] is going to cost us a million dollars,” she said. “That’ll do half a mile of road.”
The Governing Body voted down an ordinance in May that would have moved municipal elections to November and eliminated voter identification requirements. Wymer was one of three councilors who voted in favor of the change.
Cast your ballot: Rio Rancho Mayoral Runoff
Early voting open through Saturday, April 11:
Broadmoor Senior Center/Clerk’s Annex 3421 Broadmoor Blvd. Mon.–Fri.: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Sat. April 11: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Loma Colorado Main Library 755 Loma Colorado Blvd.
Sabana Grande 4114 Sabana Grande Ave. SE
The Hub @ Enchanted Hills 7845 Enchanted Hills Blvd.
Southern Blvd. 2345 Southern Blvd., Suite C2
Additional locations open Tues.–Sat., 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Election Day: Tuesday, April 14