Morning Word, 10-09-12

The Presidential debate last week that propelled Romney back into contention in the Presidential race was the first high profile debate. Local debates are starting. --- Tonight will feature 1st Congressional District candidates Michelle Lujan Grisham and Janice Arnold-Jones on KNME at 7:00. On Wednesday, Ben Ray Lujan and Jeff Byrd will face off on KNME. On Thursday, as a precursors to the Vice Presidential debate, Martin Heinrich and Heather Wilson will take to the airwaves on KRQE. That same night, REp. Steve Pearce and Evelyn Madrid Erhard will face off on a televised debate on public TV.

A busy week for debates -- just as absentee voting begins. Today is the final day to register for voting -- and the first day that absentee ballots will be sent out.

Voting begins today. On to the Word:

• Voting starts today in county clerks' offices and absentee ballots are being sent out. Ten days until wider early voting starts. Twenty-nine votes until election day.
• The promised Slate story on how
• New Mexico has swung so dramatically towards Democrats on the federal level
• happened today. A few qualms (I'd bet the multiple-generational Democrats in New Mexico still lean Democratic, especially in the heavily-Democratic and heavily-Hispanic north-central region), but a good piece overall.
• Female Democratic candidates gathered to denounce Gov. Susana Martinez's top political man, Jay McLeskey,
• and Reform New Mexico PAC
• . Republicans have the big money coming in, but this is a good piece of earned media for the candidates to fight back.
• Ambassador Joe Wilson, a Santa Fe resident, wrote about the poll challenger training by Republicans that told the GOP challengers to ask for Voter ID -- even though voter ID is not a part of New Mexico law.

• Last week, ProgressNow New Mexico released a video showing a Republican Party leader leading a "poll challenger training" replete with false information about New Mexico's voting laws. The misinformation disseminated by the Republican official - during the training and also in a manual created by the party - could be used to restrict eligible citizens' voting rights and thus harm the integrity of the upcoming election. For example, the Republican official told trainees they could demand voters show ID at the polls if two precinct board members request it and instructed participants that voters needing interpreters could not use them - claims the Bernalillo County Clerk said was simply "not correct" and could lead these poll challengers to act in a vigilante capacity on Election Day.

• Independent Source PAC
• keeps going after Gov. Susana Martinez's staff
• .
• The New Mexico State Universitiy Board of Regents will meet Wednesday to appoint an interim president. And
• public comment will be allowed
• .
• KOB covers the
• potential removal of post traumatic stress disorder from the list of acceptable ailments
• to get medical marijuana.
• A Santa Fe cafe owner
• likes the Albuquerque minimum wage hike proposal
• . The minimum wage in Santa Fe is currently $10.29 per hour. The Albuquerque proposal would raise the minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $8.50 per hour.
• The commission that investigations alleged misconduct among judges
• could grow to 13 if a constitutional amendment passes
• .
• And three bond issues would largely put money
• towards improvements towards higher education buildings
• .
• Capital Report New Mexico
• profiles Rep. Andy Nuñez, I-Hatch, who is trying to get reelection after switching from the Democratic Party to being an independent.

• It’s hard to believe, but in the history of the Roundhouse, a DTS candidate has never won an election. But with Nuñez’s name recognition, his six terms  representing the district and the fact that [Democratic candidate Phillip] Archuleta and [Republican candidate Mike] Tellez could split the vote, Nuñez could get re-elected with a plurality — rather than a majority — of the votes. 
  
  “It could happen,” Archuleta said. “You never know until Election Day.”

• Kinesio USA, the company that makes kinesio tape which many professional athletes use,
• is moving its manufacturing to Albuquerque from Japan
• .
• The wood finishing products company PureColor is moving to Albuquerque too -- but
• its move will be a mere jaunt down I-25 from Santa Fe
• .
• KUNM announced
• a new series that will look at the "Voices Behind the Vote."

• In the final four weeks before Election Day on November 6th, KUNM will air a series of family profiles from around New Mexico. The Voices Behind the Vote series will feature frank views on the election and the candidates from New Mexico voters and families. [...] Tunein Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays at 7:30am and again at 5:45pm on KUNM 89.9. Look for more details here on our website in coming days!

• The Rio Rancho governing body might change a city ordinance
• related to animals
• .
• Michelle Obama will be
• campaigning in Durango
• .
• A federal court case alleging micromanagement, harassment and retaliation in the Taos Municipal School District
• is close to behind dismissed
• .

Santa Fe Reporter