Saved by the Bell

A colleague of mine defeated an incumbent and was elected as a state representative in 2018. He was told by many that their vote was why.

In that case, it was true (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kentucky-house-race-democrat-jim-glenn-wins-just-1-vote/). If anyone who voted for him had instead voted for his opponent, it would have been a different outcome. He won by one vote.

It happens more often than you might think. Sometimes elections have been decided by a coin flip due to a tie. In any of those cases, one more vote would have established the will of the people rather than a result by chance.

There are several races and ballot questions that have the potential to be close this year. Your vote could make all the difference.

One question is the Higher Education General Obligation Bond, an item that has been on the ballot every even year for decades. As an employee at a state-supported college, I am bound by the New Mexico Governmental Conduct Act, which states that I cannot use my “official authority” to influence an election. At the same time, I have a responsibility to inform you about how the higher education bond could impact Eddy County. Given this, I offer information for you, the voter, with equal time for two opposing views of 139 words each:

First perspective: If one believes in limited government and lower taxes, a vote against Bond 3 will ensure that $351 million dollars of state taxpayer funds are not expended. While marketing materials promise “no tax increase” (www.higheredbond3.com), this is true because the funds that were used to cover what was due annually on 10-year bonds issued based on the 2016 ballot question would be redirected to pay for the new bonds. A vote against Bond 3 will save the taxpayers of New Mexico $351 million over ten years. There are thirty-one projects distributed across the state on the list. Unlike a local bond election where voters can learn how their own community will benefit, few will know whether this is a good decision. A vote of no will register one’s support for less state spending and more local control.

Second perspective: A vote for Bond 3 will invest $351 million in our colleges and universities. This is an incredible value. Economic impact studies show that the state receives nearly five dollars of benefit for every dollar invested in higher education. If the measure passes, twenty-two of twenty-nine counties will receive funding, with Eddy County receiving $1 million for the renovation of the SENMC Main Building (senmc.edu/news/vote-on-bond-3/index.html). It will create a two-story main entrance that establishes a clear entry point to the college with a new Admissions and Welcome Center on the second floor, an elevator in the entryway, and accessibility updates to the rooms used for public events. The majority of the statewide funding would go to universities serving all New Mexicans, including $115 million for a new facility at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
Winston Churchill famously described democracy as "the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” Establishing the will of the people through a multitude of individual actions is no simple challenge, but it is how we are heard. Our votes, in total, manifest our collective future.

We are fortunate to have early voting available to us, and it is already underway. Here in Eddy County, I find it particularly satisfying to hear the bell ring when a vote is tabulated. I encourage you to savor that moment—and let freedom ring!

Kevin Beardmore, Ed.D., is President of Southeast New Mexico College. He may be reached at kbeardmore@senmc.edu or 575.234.9211