While we all know much about the inner workings of Calvary, how many people know an Evangelical Christian became mayor of Rio Rancho last week, with the participation of less than 20% of the voters?

I don’t care about anyone’s faith until they push themselves on me. But that’s a tenet of evangelism, isn’t it? That I’m going to Hell and they have a duty to change that?

As an aside, I can’t find a website for Jackson’s campaign or advocacy group. Does he eschew the Web? That’s even weirder than opposing Darwin. mjh

Rio Rancho Observer Online
Jackson upsets Owen’s re-election bid
By TOM TREWEEK/OBSERVER STAFF REPORTER

Jackson’s 2,817 votes topped the 2,527 earned by incumbent Mayor Jim Owen, with District 1 councilor Mike Williams receiving 1,291. Those results, are unofficial until Friday when votes will be canvassed.

ABQjournal: Months of Campaigning End Today By Joshua Akers, Journal Staff Writer

Mayoral candidate Kevin Jackson’s campaign is deep in the red. The candidate reported about $17,600 in campaign donations and expenditures of nearly $37,000. [mjh: That’s about $13 per vote.]

According to the report, Jackson has loaned himself about $18,000 for campaign expenses in the past month.

“We didn’t raise the money we thought we would,” Jackson said on the eve of the election. “We believe in this campaign, and we put in our own money to push the campaign forward.”

ABQjournal: Jackson Rio Rancho’s Next Mayor By Joshua Akers, Journal Staff Writer

Political newcomer Kevin Jackson is Rio Rancho’s next mayor …

It was a low turnout, with a little over 14 percent of the city’s registered voters casting ballots in the race for mayor. …

Jackson is president and founder of the New Mexico Family Council. Its purpose, he has said, is to strengthen families in New Mexico by improving marriages and helping families make good decisions.

The Albuquerque Tribune: Local
Rio Rancho leader says he can detach advocacy
By Megan Arredondo, Tribune Reporter

Joe Monahan, a political analyst who covers New Mexico politics on his blog site, said Rio Rancho is a more conservative town than Albuquerque.

Socially conservative voters tend to turn out in smaller, municipal elections, he said.

“In typical elections, the demographics will tilt older and more conservative,” Monahan said.

With that kind of voter turnout, a grass-roots campaign tends to seal the deal, he said. Tuesday’s election saw 6,635 voters cast ballots out of 35,000 registered voters.

The Albuquerque Tribune: Local
Rio Rancho Elections: The race up the hill
By Megan Arredondo, Tribune Reporter

Getting around: Jackson would like a mass transit system, preferably a bus system. Not everybody has a car, particularly the elderly, he says.

A bus system would reduce traffic and pollution, he says. [mjh: OK, we’re cool.]

ABQjournal: Rio Rancho Turnout Among Lowest in N.M. By Joshua Akers, Journal Staff Writer

Rio Rancho voters are some of the most apathetic in New Mexico when it comes to municipal elections— if you go by the numbers.

With only 18.2 percent of registered voters bothering to go to vote in Tuesday’s election, the city had one of the state’s lowest turnouts. …

“The big story in Rio Rancho is 82 percent of the people didn’t bother to go to the polls,” Sanderoff said. “Apathy, a lack of any sense their vote would make a difference— skepticism, cynicism, apathy are all at play.”

TURNOUT STATEWIDE

Here was the turnout in some of New Mexico municipalities that held elections on Tuesday:
BERNALILLO: 27.4 percent
BLOOMFIELD: 20 percent
BOSQUE FARMS: 36 percent
CORRALES: 35.7 percent
DEMING: 32 percent
ESPAÑOLA: 21 percent
LAS VEGAS: 33 percent
LOS RANCHOS: 10.2 percent
RATON: 22 percent
RIO RANCHO: 18.2 percent
ROSWELL: 26 percent
SANTA FE: 30.4 percent
TAOS: 39.2 percent

[mjh: Is this really a democracy anymore?]