Primary Elections and COPE-Endorsed Candidates
The ATF Unified Committee On Political Education (COPE) shared our list of endorsement recommendations for the 2022 Primary Election at the April Fed Rep Council meeting. The elected body of Fed Reps unanimously adopted the endorsements.
It is our pleasure to share ATF Unified COPE’s list of endorsed candidates below. But first, here’s a timeline of the election. Get out and vote!
- May 21 – June 4, 2022– Early Voting and SDR expand, Monday to Saturday, most locations open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For ballot drop box locations click here
- June 2, 2022– Deadline for Absentee Applications to be received. Applications received after the 2nd will be rejected, even if it is postmarked on the 2nd.
- June 3, 2022– Last day county clerks can mail absentee ballots to voters who request them.
- June 7, 2022– Election Day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Absentee Ballots are due in the clerk’s office no later than 7 p.m.
The ATF Unified COPE Endorsement Process
Volunteers design questionnaires to send to ALL candidates who file to run within the APS boundaries. ATF Unified Cope sends two types of questionnaires to candidates, one for incumbents and one for those not currently in office. The non-incumbent questionnaire is used to enlighten and teach candidates about public education and labor issues while the incumbent questionnaire is a reflection on their votes on bills that impact public education and labor.
Once the COPE Committee receives the questionnaires that meet the deadline, we set up interviews for the non-incumbents.
Not all candidates seek our endorsement and, therefore, do not take part in our process. The committee, in the spirit ofequity and fairness, asks the same questions of each candidate.
We would like to thank the following volunteers who were part of the interview process: Ann Pierce-Jones (AFT NMRetirees), James Macklin (ATF), April Baca (AFCP) and Sara Attleson (ATF). Thanks to Deena Burnett, ATF Staff Rep, for keeping us organized and to John Dyrcz, State Affiliate Political Organizer for AFT NM, for his guidance.
ATF ENDORSEMENTS FOR NEW MEXICO HOUSE
There are five NM House open seats up for election. ATF Unified COPE is recommending the following be endorsed:
HD 12- Art de la Cruz was appointed by the Bernalillo County Commission mid-session 2022 to fill the seat. His votes supported labor and public education. He has pledged to continue to vote in support of public education and labor. He credits his APS teachers for all that he has accomplished.
HD 17- Darrell Deaguero comes from the labor community. He is currently president of his local union, LIUNA, Local16. Many of us have worked with Darrell through the years at the Labor Election Programs. He has said if he is not clear on a public education issue he should come to the experts, Albuquerque Teachers Federation, for direction. He does not claim to know everything about our jobs. We think it is important to have those from labor working in Santa Fe for us and all working families.
HD 26- Eleanor Chavez also comes from the labor community. She has been a fixture in the New Mexico Labor Movement for decades and is a delegate on the Central Labor Council. Eleanor worked for AFT national for several years. She currently works for the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, District 1199 NM. Eleanor was ATF-endorsed when she served in HD 13 for two terms. She ran for the NM Senate. ATF endorsed her at that time but she was defeated. Due to the recent re-districting, her home is no longer located in HD 13 but is now in HD 26.
HD 68- Charlotte Little believes strongly in the power of unions and understands that they present a unified voice. She is a proud product of Head Start at San Felipe Pueblo as well as public schools. Charlotte has served as a Tribal Administrator for the Pueblo of San Felipe. She has worked as an Administrative Officer for the United States Department of Health and Human Services where she worked closely with union stewards representing federal health care workers. She is passionate about the Yazzie/Martinez decision. She believes that insufficient funding is at the root of most of public education’s issues. Charlotte understands that we need stable revenue to fund public education rather than the wild fluctuations we see currently. Charlotte has been a long-time advocate for our students and has served as Vice-Chair of New Mexico Voices for Children.
HD 19- No endorsement at this time. ATF Unified COPE recommends that we sit out the Primary Election. We will make recommendations for the General Election in HD19.
ATF Unified COPE recommends that we endorse the following incumbents (*notes an ATF member or retired member):
Andres Romero -HD10 *
Patricia Roybal Caballero-HD13
Miguel P. Garcia- HD 14 *
Dayan “Day” Hochman-Vigil- HD 15
Antonio Maestas- HD 16
Gail Chasey- HD18
Meredith Dixon- HD 20
Debbie Sariñana- HD 21 *
Liz Thomson- HD 24 *
Christine Trujillo- HD 25 *
Marian Matthews- HD 27
Joy I. Garratt- HD 29 *
Natalie Figueroa- HD 30 *
You can find your legislator and a map of your district at nmlegis.gov.
ATF Unified COPE meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at the ATF office at 4:30pm. All you have to do to join us is contribute to COPE!
