Ten Candidates Running for APS Board

Three board seats on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The three Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education seats up for grabs in the Nov. 7 election have drawn 10 candidates.

• The District 1 seat currently held by board President Yolanda Montoya-Cordova has three candidates. Janelle Jaime Astorga, Verlando O. Coker, and Robert T. Trujillo are vying for that position. Montoya-Cordova had previously announced she wouldn’t be seeking reelection.
• The District 2 seat drew five candidates, including board Vice President Peggy Muller-Aragón, who is seeking reelection. She is running against Adrian R. Nogales, Karen C. Sanchez-Griego, Eric A. Toldeo, and Ronalda K. Tome.
• And the District 4 seat now held by board member Barbara Petersen has two candidates: Heather R. Benavidez and Stephen J. Cecco. Petersen had previously said she wouldn’t be seeking another term.

The deadline for candidates to file to get their names on the ballot was Aug. 29. Write-in candidates can file on Sept. 5.

Successful candidates begin their four-year terms on Jan. 1.

Voters and candidates can find their district and learn about voter registration, polling locations, candidate requirements, and more at the Board of Education election web page.

Two-mill Levy

Also on the Nov. 7 ballot will be a two-mill levy that would continue funding for maintenance throughout the district without raising the tax rate.

The mill levy would be a continuation of a tax already in place, not a new one.

The two-mill capital improvement tax measure would continue a property tax of $2 per each 1,000 of net taxable value for property within the APS district. The tax rate would remain the same.

Revenue from the two-mill levy helps pay for such things as maintenance, security, operations, technology, and musical instruments. If approved, the tax will provide capital revenue for the district through 2030.