City releases 2024 municipal election guide

The city of Rio Rancho municipal election will take place March 5. City councilors for Districts 1, 4, and 6 will be voted on for four-year terms. The ballot will also include three general obligation bond questions for public safety, roads and quality-of-life facilities.

Eligible, registered voters interested in seeking office must submit a Declaration of Candidacy form, which can be found in the Candidate Guide, to the City Clerk’s Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9.

The Candidate Guide can be obtained by visiting rrnm.gov/rrvotes or in the Office of the City Clerk inside Rio Rancho City Hall. Although not required, anyone wishing to schedule an in-person appointment with the City Clerk may do so by contacting the office at 505-891-5004.

Information in the guide for anyone interested in running in the 2024 Municipal Officer Election includes:

• Candidacy forms and instructions
• Calendar of key election dates
• Voter registration information
• Political sign application and regulations
• Campaign finance reporting information

Voter registration information

An individual must be registered to vote no later than Feb. 6 to participate in the election. However, there is an exception for those individuals who register to vote at an early voting or Election Day location where same day voter registration or registration updating will be available.

A certificate of voter registration can be completed online on the New Mexico Voter Information Portal or by filling out a paper voter registration application downloadable from the same website. Current voters can view and make updates to their existing voter registration on the same site.

Absentee/early voting information

Absentee and early voting for the 2024 Rio Rancho municipal election begin Feb. 6.

The locations, dates and times for early voting in Rio Rancho are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 6 through March 1 at Broadmoor Senior Center (Clerk’s Annex), 3241 Broadmoor Blvd. NE, with expanded hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, Feb. 24 and March 2.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 17 to March 2, early voting can also be done at the Plaza @ Unser Marketplace, 701 Unser Blvd. Suite A12; Loma Colorado Main Library, 755 Loma Colorado Blvd.; Rio Rancho MVD, 4114 Sabana Grande Ave. SE; The Hub @ Enchanted Hills, 7845 Enchanted Hills Blvd.; Rio West Business Center, 103 Rio Rancho Blvd. Suite B1. These locations will be closes Sundays and Mondays.

Voters can cast an absentee ballot by submitting an application to the City Clerk’s Office no later than Feb. 20. Both an online absentee ballot application and downloadable paper application will be available in late December 2023 at rrnm.gov/rrvotes. Absentee ballots will be mailed out beginning Feb. 6 and must be returned to the City Clerk’s Office no later than 7 p.m. Election Day: Tuesday, March 5.