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Rio Rancho council approves ordinance to shift municipal elections into November regular local cycle
Summary
The governing body approved first reading of Ordinance O‑13 to opt city elections into the statewide regular local election schedule in November of odd-numbered years, citing an estimated $450,000 savings for the 2026 cycle and a two-cycle opt‑out option under state law.
The City of Rio Rancho’s governing body voted to adopt Ordinance O‑13, opting the city into New Mexico’s regular local election schedule held in November of odd-numbered years and adjusting municipal terms to align with that calendar.
City staff said the change is intended to reduce the cost and administrative burden of running a separate municipal election in March of even-numbered years. Peter Wells, deputy city manager, told the council that 97 of New Mexico’s 106 municipalities already participate in the regular local election and that Rio Rancho’s estimated cost to hold a March 2026 municipal election would be about $450,000. "By opting into the regular local election … the city can save $450,000 in election costs in 2026 as well as future years," Wells said in his presentation.
Wells said the higher costs reflect statewide changes in election requirements since 2018 — for example, an increase in required in‑person voting sites — and that the proposed change would make future municipal elections the responsibility of the Sandoval County Clerk rather than the city clerk’s office. He said the ordinance would extend affected officials’ terms so their next elections align with the November schedule rather than shortening them, and that campaign finance reporting and other local responsibilities would remain with the city clerk’s office.
Councilors discussed turnout, voter fatigue and administrative impacts. Councilor Weimer said he supports the change for the likely cost savings and because it could increase turnout, though he affirmed a continued preference for local control of voter identification rules. "I think the cost savings that we will see … is not going to go down," Weimer said, adding that the extension of terms is preferable to shortening them because it gives potential candidates time to prepare campaigns.
Councilor Dabson (references in the meeting transcript alternate spellings) said consolidating elections could reduce voter fatigue from near‑annual voting. Councilor Culbreth asked whether the $450,000 estimate accounted for city clerk staff time; Wells said that amount covers temporary election personnel, voting systems and site rentals, and does not include the time of existing city clerk staff, though he said freeing clerk staff from election operations would allow them to focus on other duties.
Wells also told the governing body that state law allows municipalities to opt back out after two election cycles (four years) if they choose, giving the city a trial period for the new schedule. The ordinance passed on the council’s roll-call vote.
