By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — In September, City Desk reported that prosecutors charged Albuquerque mayoral candidate Daniel Chavez after a campaign staffer accused him of inappropriate touching, a misdemeanor battery charge. Prosecutors have now dismissed the case. The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case on Feb. 20, 2026, in […]
Elections & Politics
Posted inElections & Politics, Sandoval County
Sandoval County election landscape takes shape with candidate filings
A wave of candidates descended on filing offices across New Mexico on March 10. In Sandoval County, more than two dozen individuals — Democrats and Republicans alike — formally declared their intentions to seek office in races spanning state legislative seats, county commissioner districts, the county sheriff’s office, and several judicial posts. The filings set […]
Posted inElections & Politics, Rio Rancho, The 528 Rio Rancho
Continuity vs. change: Wymer, Piland offer Rio Rancho voters a clear choice in runoff
City Councilor Paul Wymer and former Sandoval County Democratic Party chair Alexandria Piland will square off April 14 in a runoff election to determine who will succeed Mayor Gregg Hull, with the two candidates presenting voters a clear choice between continuity and change. Wymer led the six-candidate March 3 field with 6,240 votes, or 45%, […]
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Former sheriff will file to run against BernCo sheriff John Allen in Dem primary
A 27-year law enforcement veteran will file to run against Bernalillo County John Allen in the June 2nd Democratic primary election, City Desk has learned. Phil Snedeker tells City Desk he will file qualifying paperwork and signatures Tuesday morning on local filing day. He has served in the criminal justice system for 47 years, according […]
Posted inElections & Politics, Rio Rancho
Money talks: Rio Rancho mayoral runoff candidates lead in cash and votes
The two candidates who raised the most money in the Rio Rancho mayoral race are also the two headed to the April 14 runoff, according to campaign finance reports filed before the March 3 election and released publicly March 6. City Councilor Paul Wymer and former Sandoval County Democratic Party chair Alexandria Piland together raised […]
Posted inElections & Politics
NMGOP scrambles to qualify a write-in against Ben Ray Luján. Who is he and how does that work?
When the Secretary of State’s Office closed on the deadline day for candidates to qualify for 2026 elections, Republicans had qualified at least one candidate in most competitive races except one very big one: U.S. Senate. Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include detail on the write-in rules for qualification and the write-in […]
Posted inElections & Politics
Here’s everyone running for Congress in New Mexico this year
Democrats and Republicans both met this past weekend to pick their nominees for U.S. Senate and all three Congressional districts up for election in 2026. Candidates vying for a spot on the ballot were first required to collect thousands of signatures from qualified party voters (2,351 for Republicans, 2,531 for Democrats). They are then required […]
Posted inElections & Politics
State Republicans pick Hull, Turner to lead ’26 ticket
The state Republican Party’s convention in Ruidoso narrowed the list of five men vying for New Mexico’s biggest political prize in 2026 down to two: Rio Rancho Mayor Greg Hull and advertising executive Doug Turner — but that may not keep the other candidates from using a backdoor to get their name on the ballot […]
Posted inElections & Politics, Sandoval Signpost, Town of Bernalillo
Torres triumphs in Bernalillo election, tax measure passed to fuel town’s economic growth
Jack Torres won a fifth term as mayor of the Town of Bernalillo on Tuesday, defeating challenger James Baca in a municipal election that also asked voters to decide on a new economic development tax. With all 10 of 10 precincts fully reporting, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, […]
Posted inElections & Politics, Rio Rancho, The 528 Rio Rancho
A possible first for Rio Rancho: If Wymer wins mayor’s race, how will his council seat be filled?
If City Councilor Paul Wymer wins the April 14 runoff election for mayor, Rio Rancho will face a vacancy-filling process that has never occurred in the city’s history — and the city’s charter has a detailed roadmap for how it would work. Wymer, who led Tuesday’s six-candidate primary with 45% of the vote, advanced to […]