Early voting begins in Rio Rancho, Bernalillo municipal elections

RIO RANCHO — Feb. 3 marked the start of early voting in the Rio Rancho and Bernalillo municipal elections.

Rio Rancho voters can cast their ballots for four local elected positions and three general obligation bond questions at the Broadmoor Senior Center (Clerk's Annex), 3421 Broadmoor Blvd.

The senior center will be open for early voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until Feb. 27. The facility will also be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, 21 and 28.

Other early voting locations in Rio Rancho include:

• Loma Colorado Library, 755 Loma Colorado Blvd.

• Sabana Grande Recreation Center, 4114 Sabana Grande Ave.

• The Hub @ Enchanted Hills, 7845 Enchanted Hills Blvd.

• 2345 Southern Blvd., Suite C2. 

Hours for all locations are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, from Feb. 14-28.

Rio Rancho resident Rick Scott, who attended a candidate forum Feb. 3, said he plans to vote early soon.

"Things come up in life and it's good to get it out of the way," he said. "I like to check that box."

Early voting sets a good example for his children when they become old enough for civic participation, Scott added.

Wendy Menref, another Rio Rancho resident who also attended the forum, said she prefers early voting so she doesn't have to stand in line on Election Day. She laughed that voting early also helps break her "procrastination" of waiting until the last minute to cast her ballot.

Menref added the city's poll workers are pleasant and give good directions to voters.

Meanwhile, Bernalillo voters can cast their ballots for two local elected positions and one general obligation bond question at town hall, 829 Camino del Pueblo, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28.

“We’re it, completely,” Bernalillo Administrator/Clerk Ida Fierro said, referring to town hall acting as the only early voting site and polling place for the municipal election.

Fierro recommended absentee ballots for voters who cannot make it to the voting site. The ballots can be dropped off at the voting site, she said. Voters can come to town hall to sign an affidavit if their absentee ballot was lost.

Prospective voters in Bernalillo can participate in same-day voter registration at town hall, she said.

Two poll workers, including Fierro, oversee early voting, and additional poll workers won’t be needed until Election Day, she said.

“Unfortunately, we have a small voter turnout; therefore, we’re able to manage it,” Fierro said.

Turnout averages 25 voters a day, which, she said, is about the same as previous elections.

Fierro, who has worked with the town of Bernalillo for 25 years — 20 of them as city clerk — described this election as smooth with no challenges so far. 

“I can’t even remember the last time I had an issue, so it’s pretty manageable; we’re lucky,” Fierro said.

She credited Bernalillo’s use of an on-demand system for its ballots.

“That’s what makes it easy where you don’t have any hiccups,” Fierro said. 

Some states, however, have rejected on-demand balloting, according to news reports. A bill died in the South Dakota Legislature earlier this year after some lawmakers cited concerns over potential equipment malfunctions and tabulators possibly not being able to read ballots correctly. 

In Bernalillo, Fierro said, the ballots themselves are secured via locked tabulators, which are stored in a locked room.

She offered a message to prospective and registered voters at the start of the early voting period.

“We’re here for you so that you can exercise your right to vote — and I think it’s important that everybody does exercise that right,” Fierro said.