Rio Rancho voters headed to the polls Tuesday to decide who will succeed Mayor Gregg Hull in New Mexico’s third-largest city, but no candidate cleared the required majority threshold in the six-person mayoral race, forcing a runoff election between City Councilor Paul Wymer and former Democratic Party of Sandoval County chair Alexandria Piland. Under Rio […]
Rio Rancho
Everything Rio Rancho voters need to know before heading to the polls March 3
Voters in New Mexico’s third-largest city will decide who leads their community and whether to authorize nearly $18 million in bonds when Rio Rancho holds its municipal election Tuesday, March 3. The ballot includes races for mayor and three City Council districts, a Municipal Judge seat, and three separate bond questions covering road repairs, public […]
From Sanctuary cities to drag queens: Five Rio Rancho mayoral candidates detail their stances
Five Rio Rancho mayoral candidates gathered at a church-hosted forum last weekend and spoke with one voice against sanctuary city status, while staking out sharp positions on drag performances, library materials and the role of city government in policing community morality โ drawing sustained applause from a crowd that had gathered explicitly to hear candidates […]
Rio Rancho turnout surge: Early voting eclipses 2022 pace ahead of Tuesday election
Early voting for Rio Rancho’s municipal election closed Saturday with 6,733 ballots cast, surpassing the pre-Election Day total from the 2022 municipal election and offering a more optimistic turnout picture heading into Tuesday’s vote. The final pre-Election Day tally, updated by City of Rio Rancho Clerk Noel Davis as of 1:49 p.m. Sunday, includes 6,494 […]
Rio Rancho council vote shapes future growth with new neighborhood, property restrictions
Property owners along Rainbow Boulevard will face new building restrictions under a unanimous vote Thursday by the Rio Rancho Governing Body, while nearly 800 future residents will gain a new neighborhood in the city’s northern section, decisions that city officials say will shape Rio Rancho’s growth for decades. The governing body approved three measures at […]
Memorial services set for BCSO sergeant killed during traffic stop to be held in Rio Rancho
A Bernalillo County sheriff’s sergeant who was killed when a tractor-trailer struck his patrol vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 will be honored with public memorial services this weekend and Monday, with his funeral falling on what would have been his 53rd birthday. Sgt. Michael Schlattman, a 13-year veteran of the Bernalillo County […]
Rio Rancho’s weekend lineup: Music, history and family fun
A farewell tour from a Latin music legend tops a weekend packed with live music, family-friendly exhibits, creative workshops and community gatherings across Rio Rancho and the surrounding area this Friday through Sunday. Before you make entertainment plans, make a plan to vote. Early voting runs through 6 p.m. Saturday at five locations in Rio […]
Will Rio Rancho voters show up? Turnout is down from 2022 ahead of March 3 Election Day
As the last weekend of early voting approaches, turnout for the Rio Rancho municipal election is currently lagging behind the 2022 pace, even as the city has added thousands of new registered voters over the past four years. As of Feb. 25, just 4,093 voters have cast their ballots for the March 3, election, representing […]
Rio Rancho council to consider zoning changes, master plan adoption
The Rio Rancho Governing Body will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in City Hallโs Council Chambers to consider several zoning ordinances, a new master plan and a budget adjustment, among other items. The meeting will also be available via Zoom and streamed live on the city’s website. Among the most substantial items on the agenda […]
Rio Rancho’s ‘pizza slice’ gets state’s shovel-ready stamp
A triangular, 43-acre lot near King and Unser boulevards, nicknamed “the pizza slice” for its unusual shape, is one of five properties across New Mexico to receive the state’s first “strategic economic development site” designations under the Site Readiness Program, announced by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration. The program, run through the New Mexico Economic […]

