We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Vote!
Election Day for the City of Rio Rancho is Tuesday.
City council seats in Districts 1, 2, 4 and 6 are on the ballot, as are two general obligation bonds, which affect property tax rates.
Councilor Jeremy Lenentine is running unopposed in district 2. The other three council seats have competition: Incumbent Jim Owen and challenger Anthony Torres in District 1; Ryan Parra and Paul Wymer, both newcomers, in District 4; and challenger Daniel Stoddard and incumbent David Bency in District 6.
Only voters registered in the council district in question can vote for city councilors, but every voter in Rio Rancho has a say on the bonds. One of those bonds would support facility improvements and new vehicles for the public-safety departments, while the other would pay for roadwork.
It’s not enough just to vote — you need to be informed to make good decisions. If you need more details about the bonds or candidates, visit rrobserver.com and search for the bond or person you want to learn about more.
Don’t just fill in a random bubble on the ballot or base your decision on gossip or third-party social-media posts. That could backfire and put you, and everyone else, in an undesirable situation that you could have prevented if you’d gotten informed.
Yes, we know it takes time and energy — limited resources — to get informed and vote. But given that thousands of people, some of them barely more than kids, have suffered and died to maintain that right for us, spending an hour or two getting informed and 30 minutes voting is the easy job.
Plus, these local elections do affect you, often more directly than national elections.
Individual voters can make the most difference at this level, too. As few as six votes have separated candidates in some past races, so your vote could help decide an election.
If you decide not to vote, don’t complain. This election is your opportunity to take action, and if you’re not willing to do so, then you don’t have a leg to stand on while you squawk.
If you vote, your action gives you a stance from which to complain, celebrate or both, depending on the situation.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Any voter registered in Rio Rancho can vote at any of these locations:
• Cabezon Community Center, 2307 Cabezon Blvd.
• Star Heights Community Center, 800 Polaris Blvd.
• Rio Rancho City Hall, 3200 Civic Center Circle.
• Loma Colorado Main Library, 755 Loma Colorado Blvd.
• Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane.
• Plaza at Enchanted Hills, 3575 NM 528, Ste. F-3.
Don’t forget your photo ID. A voter-approved law requires people casting ballots in city elections to show one.
Rio Rancho is our community. Let’s all make the effort to make a difference in this election.