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Meet the APS Board Candidates

Posted September 12, 2023, 12:55 PM. Updated January 24, 2024, 9:17 AM.

Candidate forum set for Sept. 25, Q&As available at APS.edu.

Voters wanting to know more about the eight candidates vying for three spots on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education will have an opportunity to meet them during a candidate forum later this month.

The forum will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Boulevard NE. It is open to the public.

The candidate forum will be livestreamed and posted to the  APS Board of Education YouTube Channel.

You are invited to send questions for the candidates to boarded@aps.edu.  Questions are due by Friday, Sept. 22. Because not everyone will be able to attend the forum, including members of the Jewish community observing Yom Kippur, questions asked at the forum will come only from those submitted in advance.

Voters can also brush up on candidate backgrounds and their positions on a variety of issues by reading Q&As posted at APS.edu. Election Day is Nov. 7.

Ten candidates had originally filed to run for the school board, but two District 2 candidates have since withdrawn from the race.

The three board positions on the ballot this year are in Districts 1, 2, and 4.

  • District 1 encompasses Atrisco Heritage Academy and Rio Grande high schools, and their feeder elementary and middle schools. Janelle Jaime Astorga, Verlando O. Coker, and Robert T. Trujillo are vying for that position. Board President Yolanda Montoya-Cordova, who currently holds the seat, is not seeking reelection.
  • District 2 covers Volcano Vista and Cibola High schools, and their feeder elementary and middle schools. Board Vice President Peggy Muller-Aragón, who currently represents the district, is running against Adrian R. Nogales, and Ronalda K. Tome. Karen C. Sanchez-Griego and Eric A. Toldeo have withdrawn from the race.
  • District 4 includes Highland High School and its feeder elementary and middle schools. Vying for that spot are Heather R. Benavidez and Stephen J. Cecco. The position is currently held by board member Barbara Petersen who isn’t seeking another term.

Early voting begins on Oct. 10. Successful candidates begin their four-year terms on Jan. 1.

Voters and candidates can find their district and learn about voter registration, polling locations, the candidates, 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.