Katherine Lewin
Voters wait as the sun sets at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds on Election Day.
New Mexicans watched three records tumble on Tuesday.
State voters for the first time chose to send an all-woman congressional delegation to Washington, DC, where the overall balance of political power remains in doubt from the Oval Office on down.
To pull off the first feat—and to give New Mexico Democrats not just an advantage in Congress, but also at least maintain their significant margins in the statehouse—more residents had to cast general election ballots than ever before.
And it all happened on a day when beleaguered public health officials reported a devastating 1,141 new cases of COVID-19, easily eclipsing the previous highest daily total.
The previous record for total votes—833,365, set in 2008—was an afterthought this year almost before Election Day, with 770,596 New Mexicans voting early in person or absentee. The new standard sailed past 900,000 votes as of presstime, with the possibility that the record for percentage of registered voters—70%, also set in 2008—could fall as well.
The winners here included Joe Biden, for whom several news organizations declared victory in New Mexico over Donald Trump before the polls even closed. (Never mind that the nation will wait to learn whether Trump stays in the White House.)
Democrat Deb Haaland, according to early, unofficial results, won reelection handily in the 1st Congressional District; Teresa Leger Fernandez, also a Democrat, appears headed for Washington to represent Santa Fe and other parts Northern New Mexico in the US House of Representatives in the 3rd.
Meanwhile, the rematch between Republican Yvette Herrell and incumbent Democrat Xochitl Torres Small in the southern 2nd Congressional District looked to favor Herrell. But early, unofficial results show Democrat Tom Udall's US Senate seat going to US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat, over Republican TV weatherman Mark Ronchetti.
In state House contests, Democrats appeared to have at least maintained their 46-24 advantage over Republicans, possibly even expanding it with what early, unofficial results showed as potential victories by progressive candidates who ousted long-serving centrists in the June primary. Election night also was unlikely to end with Republicans moving past their 16-26 deficit in the state Senate.
A constitutional amendment to change spots on the Public Regulation Commission from elected to appointed positions and to sync up some election times appeared poised to pass easily, early, unofficial results showed.
And in Santa Fe, voters appeared to have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a spate of bond issues to improve libraries, senior centers and other capital projects.
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver tells SFR in an interview around 8:30 pm that the 2nd Congressional District race and several state Senate contests would likely be decided Wednesday.
But widening the lens, she says she's "extremely proud of and blown away by New Mexican voters' participation" in this year's election.
She attributed the massive turnout to intense interest in the presidential contest, marked by incredible divisiveness, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The pandemic has really driven the message home that the decisions government makes have impacts on lives, on our ability to survive and thrive," Toulouse Oliver says. "And I have never seen this level of depth of understanding about the mechanics of voting, the process itself. I started talking about what to expect two or three months before the election; usually it's two or three days."
The turnout was eclectic—some voted in defense of the environment, or their businesses, or human rights. That’s why Kris Sleicher, a Santa Fe teacher and Joe Biden voter, used the day off to vote.
The turnout was eclectic—some voted in defense of the environment, or their businesses, or human rights. That’s why Kris Sleicher, a Santa Fe teacher and Joe Biden voter, used the day off to vote.
“It feels like a sacred day,” Sleicher says. “It just felt like it was important to do the day of. It’s something I needed to do, for me to go in.”
Clayton Montoya and Chyna Brookfield, 23 and 20 respectively, feel the same—though they went in for different reasons. After a busy day, they found time to vote at the end of the countdown. SFR spoke to them in the quiet dark at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds.
Montoya tells SFR he didn’t make up his mind till the ballot hit his hand. His father owns Cheeks, Northern New Mexico’s only stripclub. Because of that, he felt compelled to vote for Trump, who he sees as more business friendly.
However, he feels disillusioned.
“It’s not that I support the president or our government because I don’t support, really, the government,” Montoya says. “It’s all corrupt at that point.”
As Montoya explained his vote to SFR, Brookfield’s eyes widened. She didn’t know that Montoya would vote for Trump, though as a former Cheeks employee herself, she understands the choice.
“We need a person to run America who actually…makes good decisions and makes America the best it can be instead of doing whatever the fuck they want,” Brookfield says, adding that she voted for Biden. “Every voice matters. I just want the best for America because I live here.”
At Tesuque Pueblo, seven women who represented four generations from the same family cast their votes together. Gailene Morgan, 19, was a first-time voter along with her sister, while her great grandmother, Marie F Quinlivan, 90, says she’s voted in more elections than she can remember.
“I’m happy I got to vote because my voice matters,” Morgan tells SFR. “But I am feeling very anxious for results tonight because I think it’s gonna be a close race.”
SFR staff writers Katherine Lewin and Leah Cantor contributed to this report
