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Commission introduces charter amendment to let voters decide on optional public campaign financing
Summary
Commissioner Eric Olivas introduced a charter amendment that would allow Bernalillo County to create an optional public‑financing (open and ethical elections) system for county candidates. The commission voted to introduce the package; if adopted the charter provision would authorize an implementing ordinance to be designed and brought back to the board.
The Bernalillo County Commission on June 23 introduced a charter amendment package that, if approved by voters, would authorize the county to create an optional public campaign‑financing system for county candidates.
Commissioner Eric Olivas said the measure is intended to lower barriers to running for office and limit the influence of large donors, PACs and corporate money in county elections. The charter language would simply authorize the mechanism; details such as qualifying thresholds, funding levels and administration would be developed later by an assigned body and written into an implementing ordinance.
How it would work: The Code of Conduct Review Board would be assigned as an ad‑hoc panel to study best practices, consult subject‑matter experts, and recommend a designing ordinance. The proposed design panel would include members of the Code of Conduct Review Board plus appointed county officials (clerk, county attorney, county manager) and ad‑hoc experts; fiscal and legal impacts would be analyzed before any implementation.
Timing and next steps: Because charter language must be placed on the ballot for voter approval, the commission's action on June 23 introduced the ballot question. Final adoption to place the amendment on the November ballot is scheduled for the commission’s August meeting. Commissioners discussed public education and outreach between now and the vote; some members expressed a desire to provide voters with clear options and cost estimates during the outreach process.
Quotes from the hearing: "We're not adopting a particular system tonight — we're asking for the go‑ahead that we may set up a public financing system," Olivas said. "If I could change one thing about politics in our country today, that would be what I would do — money is corrosive in politics."
The commission voted to introduce the package without recorded opposition; the board requested staff to draft ballot language and to work with civic groups (including New Mexico Voters First and Common Cause) to support public education ahead of the ballot measure.
