Go VOTE!

No, seriously. Please.

Election Day

Finally. A record number of people voted early in this year's midterms, eager to make their voice heard. It's not yet certain whether that means a net increase in voters, though turnout nationwide is expected to be heavier than normal. There's a bunch at stake, and SFR has chimed in on all you need to know. Regardless of how you'll vote, please vote. SFR will be covering voting throughout the day and have returns for you tonight and tomorrow morning.

Last day

With the election comes the end of the campaign. Candidates plan to push right through the close of polls at 7 pm tonight. Both Michelle Lujan Grisham ($) and Steve Pearce ($) will campaign throughout the day. Expect close votes in the races for the 2nd Congressional District, commissioner of public lands and perhaps state auditor. And of course legislative and down-ballot races. Plus, the Navajo Nation is electing a new president. There's always something surprising.

Thanks, but no thanks

The mayor of Columbus, New Mexico, says he politely told members of the Patriots of the Constitution militia that his border town didn't need their help handling a caravan of migrants and refugees. The caravan is not a new phenomenon and is currently hundreds of miles away from the US-Mexico border. The president has already promised some 15,000 US troops on the border, a number that seems likely to be at least three times the total number in the caravan, which is full of people who plan to seek political asylum from poverty, civil unrest and violent gangs in Central America.

525,600 minutes

Rent is getting higher in Santa Fe. The latest research by commercial real estate group CBRE shows the average price for an apartment of any type in Santa Fe is more than $1,000 and has gone up 8 percent for market-rate apartments since last year. The city's occupancy is more than 98 percent, a virtual gridlock. The city has credited its plan to allow fees instead of demanding affordable housing units with spurring recent growth. That law sunsets at the end of next year and developers are watching.

Murdered boy’s mother to plead guilty

Tracy Peña, the mother of Jeremiah Valencia, is set to plead guilty to some of the dozen crimes she's been charged with. The 13-year-old was killed in a Nambé home and his body discovered in January. It's not known which of the 12 crimes Peña will admit to, but prosecutors are focusing on Jordan Nuñez, the son of Peña's then-boyfriend, as the killer.

The Voice from Farmington

New Mexico teen Chevel Shepherd advanced past the knockout round of NBC's The Voice reality show. She'll now perform live on the show's Nov. 12 episode ($). Judges compared her to Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. High praise indeed.

Wanna buy an O’Keeffe?

I got three of 'em here. I'll throw in an extra "f" in her last name for free. Whaddya say, pal? The O'Keeffe Museum is—new word—deaccessioning three paintings by the renowned New Mexico transplant ($). The works could—auction word—fetch more than $30 million when they're sold. The Santa Fe museum would use proceeds to grow its collection.

To do

VOTE.

Thanks for reading! The Word completed some harder-than-average truck repair yesterday. If you hear of a wheel falling off a truck tomorrow, we've had a good run. Now go vote!

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