Sandoval County sees strong primary turnout in first semi-open election

Sandoval County’s June 2 primary did more than draw a strong crowd. It exposed how much is riding on November in a fast-growing county where turnout jumped, ballots kept coming after dark and a short-lived power outage briefly shut down one Rio Rancho voting center.

By 6 p.m. Tuesday, more than 24,000 voters, including early and absentee ballots, had already cast a ballot in Sandoval County, even before polls closed at 7 p.m. Later unofficial results pushed the total past 29,000 voters, a 37% turnout rate that marked a sharp increase from the county’s 2024 primary, when 17,206 voters participated for a 21.11% turnout.

The higher participation came as New Mexico held its first semi-open primary, allowing decline-to-state voters to choose a party ballot without changing their registration. State officials said more than 37,600 independent voters took part statewide under the new system, and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said the rollout was a success thanks to county clerks, her staff and poll workers.

Statewide, New Mexico reported roughly 345,000 ballots cast and about 24.5% turnout, up from 231,947 voters and 22.83% in the 2024 primary. Some election boards were still processing absentee and write-in ballots late Tuesday, then recessed at 11 p.m. and were scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. the next day. The State Board of Canvass was set to certify official results on June 23.

The races with the clearest impact on Sandoval County power were tightening around county commission, sheriff and assessor. In later unofficial results, Paul Madrid led John Sapien in the Democratic County Commission District 1 race, while Frank James Smith Jr. ran unopposed in Democratic District 3. Victor Rodriguez led Alvin Miller in the Republican sheriff primary, and Lawrence Griego led Richard Shanks in the Republican assessor race. In probate judge contests, Donna Iven Tillman and Rebecca A. Torres were each unopposed in their party primaries.

Election-day operations also took a hit in Rio Rancho when a power outage at Puesta Del Sol Elementary forced the voting center there to shut down. County officials redirected voters to the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority building and Joe Harris Elementary School, a reminder that turnout gains come with heavier demands on polling-site resilience in a county balancing suburban growth and rural precincts.

With ballots still being processed and the canvass still ahead, the primary left Sandoval County with a larger electorate, a few operational stress tests and several familiar names headed for the November ballot.