Press Release
May 23, 2009
Conservation Voters New Mexico
Contact: Sandy Buffett, Executive Director
cell: 505-270-5743
Conservation Voters New Mexico Endorses Four Candidates in
Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) Elections
For the first time, Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) announced endorsements in the elections for the Board of Directors of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD).
“Given the critical role of the MRGCD in water management, local farming and land use, and habitat restoration and protection, it is important for assessment payers to know which candidates best reflect their conservation values,” said Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of CVNM.
Today, CVNM announced its endorsement of one incumbent and three challengers for the four positions being contested in the election on June 2, 2009:
Position No. 3, Director for Bernalillo County: Bill Turner
“During his first term, Dr. Turner demonstrated his commitment to reforming the policies and practices of the MRGCD to make it more open, transparent and responsive,” said Buffett. “We need him to continue this fight.”
Position No. 4, Director for Bernalillo County: Adrian Oglesby
"Mr. Oglesby brings a wealth of expertise on water law and policy, and is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the Middle Rio Grande: the farms, the communities and the ecosystems – and the water that sustains them all,” said Buffett.
Position No. 6, Director for Socorro County: Cecilia Rosacker-McCord"
As a farmer fighting to protect the small, local agriculture that is the backbone of the Valley’s rural character, and as the Executive Director of a non-profit working to protect farming and conservation values, Ms. Rosacker-McCord is uniquely qualified to represent the assessment payers of Socorro County,” said Buffett.
Position No. 7, Director for Sandoval County: Derrick Lente
"With his background as a businessman, attorney, professor and water resources manager, Mr. Lente will be an exceptional addition to the Board of the MRGCD,” said Buffett. “His focus on reforming the management, budget and transparency of the District to better serve its constituents is badly needed.”
All of the questionnaires submitted by candidates for the MRGCD elections can be viewed on CVNM’s website at: www.cvnm.org.
“We want to urge all of the qualified voters in the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to cast a ballot in this election,” said Buffett. “There are no problems that can’t be addressed when constituents make their voices heard.”
CVNM is a nonpartisan, 501(c)4 nonprofit that works to make sensible conservation policies a top priority for elected officials, political candidates and voters across the state. For more information, please visit www.CVNM.org.
Our Mission
In order to pass strong laws that protect New Mexico’s environment, we believe it is critical to engage in the electoral process. Conservation Voters New Mexico Action Fund is a nonpartisan political action committee (PAC) that works to elect pro-environment candidates and to defeat anti-environment candidates at the state level. Our goal is to elect a pro-conservation majority to the New Mexico State Legislature, the Public Regulation Commission and other municipal and county offices.
Conservation Voters New Mexico Action Fund had many outstanding successes on Election Day, November 4, 2008! Leading up to the election, CVNM Action Fund voter contact in New Mexico included making over 50,000 phone calls, going door to door to over 6,000 households, and placing radio ads on over ten NM radio stations on behalf of endorsed candidates. CVNM Action Fund also ran independent campaigns in the Public Regulation Commission races, successfully reelecting Jason Marks but falling short in efforts to elect Rick Lass.
In the end, 17 out of 20 CVNM-endorsed candidates won their elections, including two pro-environment Republican incumbents Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (SD19) and Rep. Kathy McCoy (HD22). Among the 20 endorsements, 16 are Democrats, 3 are Republicans, and 1 is from the Green Party. Here are the results:
Senate District 9: John Sapien (D) – WIN!
Senate District 15: Tim Eichenberg (D) – WIN!
Senate District 19: Sue Wilson Beffort (R) – WIN!
Senate District 36: Mary Jane Garcia (D) – WIN!
Senate District 37: Steve Fischmann (D) – WIN!
House District 8: Elias Barela (D) – WIN!
House District 14: Miguel Garcia (D) – WIN!
House District 15: Bill O’Neill (D) – WIN!
House District 21: Mimi Stewart (D) – WIN!
House District 22: Kathy McCoy (R) – WIN!
House District 23: Ben Rodefer (D) – WIN!
House District 26: Al Park (D) – WIN!
House District 35: Antonio Lujan (D) – WIN!
House District 37: Jeff Steinborn (D) – WIN!
House District 53: Nate Cote (D) – WIN!
House District 58: George Peterson (D) – Lost
House District 60: Jack Thomas (D) – WIN!
House District 70: Mel Root (R) - Lost
Public Regulation Commission District 1: Jason Marks (D) – WIN!
Public Regulation Commission District 3: Rick Lass (G) – Lost
Combined with wins from the primary, we are proud to have replaced a total of five anti-environment incumbents with pro-environment champions to the State Senate and several new pro-environment leaders to the State House. Now, the environmental community can move beyond playing ‘defense’ in the Roundhouse against powerful polluting special interests and can pass strong, pro-active laws that protect New Mexico.
To learn more about our endorsement process, click here.
June 3rd, 2008 primary election
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Municipal Elections 2007
November 2006 Primary Election
Previously, in November of 2006, Conservation Voters NM also chalked up many important electoral victories in the New Mexico State Legislature. 91% of CVNM-endorsed legislative candidates won their races, with a net gain conversion of 3 pro-conservation legislative seats, formerly held by anti-conservation legislators. We also successfully protected all of our pro-conservation incumbents. CVNM endorsed winners include:
• Elias Barela, D in HD 8 (formerly Fred Luna’s seat from Los Lunas) defeated Jackie Farnsworth, R; Elias will fight to protect our natural heritage and water resources.
• Jeff Steinborn, D in HD 37 (formerly Ed Boykin’s seat in Las Cruces) defeated Scott Witt, R; Jeff is a wilderness advocate and will bring a fresh voice from Southern NM.
• Nate Cote, D in HD 53 defeated incumbent Terry Marquardt, R. Nate is a tireless environmentalist who defeated a staunch anti-conservationist!
Including all of the statewide and PRC races, 82% of CVNM endorsed candidates won, including Gary King for Attorney General and David King for PRC.
CVNM Endorsed Candidates for statewide offices:Governor: Bill Richardson—RE-ELECTED!
Lieutenant Governor: Diane Denish—RE-ELECTED!
Attorney General: Gary King, D—ELECTED!
State Land Commissioner: Jim Baca-- defeated
CVNM Endorsed Candidates for State Representative:(HD 8) Elias Barela, D—ELECTED!
(HD 14) Representative Miguel Garcia, D—RE-ELECTED!
(HD 16) Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D—ELECTED!
(HD 18) Representative Gail Beam Chasey, D—RE-ELECTED!
(HD 22) Representative Kathy McCoy, R—RE-ELECTED!
(HD 35) Representative Antonio Lujan, D—RE-ELECTED!
(HD 36) Representative Andy Nunez, D—RE-ELECTED!
(HD 37) Jeff Steinborn, D—ELECTED!
(HD 53) Nate Cote, D—ELECTED!
(HD 58) Pablo Martinez, D—defeated
(HD 60) Representative Thomas Swisstack, D—RE-ELECTED!
Protecting New Mexico – One Vote at a Time
Register to vote and help us work to protect New Mexico's natural environment!
Registrations forms available at:
Santa Fe County - Bureau of Elections - 102 Grant Ave Santa Fe NM 87501 (505)986.6287
Bernalillo County - Bureau of Elections - One Civic Plaza Albuquerque NM 87102 - 6th Floor - (505)468.1291
& CVNM office - 320 Aztec St. Santa Fe NM (call for appt. (505)992.8683)
or visit the New Mexico Secretary of State's office online at http://www.sos.state.nm.us/sos-VoterReg.html or more information.
Every registered voter in New Mexico has the right to:
- Inspect a sample ballot before voting;
- Ask for and receive instructions on how to operate the voting machine or mark a paper ballot; Ask for and receive instructions on how to cast a provisional ballot if your name is not on the list of voters or if you are required to provide identification and did not bring it to the polls; Vote a provisional ballot if you registered by mail for the first time in this county and did not provide identification when you registered or do not have it with you today; If you provide a current address in this county and valid photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address, you may vote on the voting machine today;
- Vote by emergency paper ballot if the voting machine is broken and cannot be repaired in a reasonable length of time;
- Ask for, receive and vote another paper ballot if your paper ballot is spoiled or defective; Cast a ballot if you are in line when the polls close;
- Be assisted by a person of your choice if you are disabled or need help reading the ballot (your employer or an agent of your employer, an officer or agent of your union or a candidate on the ballot for this election are not allowed to provide assistance); and
- Vote free from intimidation by election officials or any other person;False voting, bribery, coercion, or intimidation are election crimes and subject to prosecution.
To Report Complaints or Irregularities in the PollingPlace, Call:
Office of the Secretary of State 1-800-477-3632 Polling Places Are Open From 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Early voting may be done Tuesday-Friday from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. beginning on the 3rd Saturday before the Election and ending on the Saturday before the Election. You may also vote in your County Clerk’s office 28 days before the election during regular hours of business.
For more information, contact the Bureau of Elections, Office of the Secretary of State at: (505) 827-3600 or (800) 477-3632 or by E-mail
Conservation Voters New Mexico Action Fund
320 Aztec Street, Suite B
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Ph: 505.992.VOTE (8683)
Fax: 505.986.0339
