Runoff draws 148 early voters
Mendoza, Butler set to square off March 29 for Southside council seat

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Early voting for the runoff election between Pat Butler and Harry Mendoza for the Southside council district is going well, city officials said Monday.

City Clerk Ruth Ruiz said as of last Friday, a total of 148 people have filed early, which compares well with the early voting pattern in the election earlier this month.

"I bet we go to 300 or more," she said, pointing out that early voting and absentee ballots continue until 5 p.m. Friday.

In the previous election, the city counted 374 early voters but that was for both the Southside and Northside election races.

The run-off election between the candiates, who finished five votes apart, will be Tuesday.

There was a lot of speculation after the original election that both candidates would have a hard time getting voters in their district pumped up for yet another battle, but the early voting figures indicate that the interest is still there.

There's also the Spring Break factor.

Ruiz pointed out that schools will be out next Tuesday when the runoff occurs and many families may be planning to be out of town.

"We sent letters to teachers at all of the schools to point out that the election will be held during Spring Break and urging them not to forget to vote," she said.

Both Butler and Mendoza are campaigning and this time Mayor Bob Rosebrough has begun stumping for Butler so there's still a lot of people talking about the election.

Ruiz said people who want to vote early or get an absentee ballot can do so until 5 p.m. Friday.

While city offices will be closed after noon on Friday because of the Good Friday holiday, Ruiz said her office will continue to be open.

People who pick up absentee ballots on Friday or before are being advised not to forget that the ballots have to be back in the city clerk's office by 7 p.m. on election day.

With local mail going to Albuquerque to be sorted, it sometimes takes several days for it to be returned to Gallup.

— Contact reporter Bill Donovan at (505) 870-2135.