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By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — Bernalillo County residents will get to decide in November whether their tax dollars should help fund county campaigns — a move commissioners say is aimed squarely at kneecapping the influence of big donors and corporate PACs.
The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously June 23, to advance a package of charter and ordinance changes creating a voluntary public financing option for County Commission and countywide candidates. Commissioner Eric Olivas sponsored the measure; Barbara Baca seconded. Commissioners Adriann Barboa, Frank A. Baca, Barbara Baca and Olivas voted yes. Commissioner Walt Benson was excused.
What commissioners actually approved
The vote didn’t create a public financing program — it opened the door to one. Commissioners approved three separate items: a Charter amendment authorizing the county to enact an “Open and Ethical Elections Ordinance” in the future, a resolution setting the exact ballot question voters will see in November, and a resolution laying out how the county will design the program if voters say yes.
“The premise here is to limit the influence of large donors, big money, corporate PACs,” Olivas told fellow commissioners, adding that campaign fundraising eats into the time candidates could otherwise spend talking to voters.
Commissioners stressed they aren’t picking a funding formula immediately. Under the process resolution, that job falls to the county’s Code of Conduct Review Board, which can hire outside experts to study best practices and must deliver implementation recommendations by August 31, 2027. The County Manager will also run a six-year fiscal analysis before anything is finalized, and the county must hold two public hearings, at least 60 days apart, before adopting a final ordinance.
Frank Baca raised the only note of caution during discussion, questioning whether the timeline leaves enough room for voter education before the measure appears on the ballot. Barboa said she supports the concept but wanted clarity on how a “yes” vote in November connects to the later design process, which Olivas compared to how Albuquerque built its own program.
Albuquerque already does this
The county isn’t inventing the idea. Albuquerque has run a similar system since 2005 through its Open and Ethical Election Fund, financed by $5 “qualifying contributions” from residents. Mayor Tim Keller, the only publicly financed mayoral candidate to qualify, drew nearly $756,000 from the fund for his 2025 general election campaign, according to the city’s campaign finance database but other candidates who tried and failed to receive funds said the high threshold for qualification in the city’s system benefitted incumbents.
More details
- The ballot question goes before voters countywide on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot.
- Only Countywide Office and County Commission candidates would be eligible.
- The Code of Conduct Review Board’s ad hoc committee includes a commissioner appointee, the county attorney or designee, the county manager or designee and the county clerk.
- Public financing would remain voluntary; participating candidates would have to agree to spending limits and meet qualification requirements.
What’s on the ballot (Nov. 3, 2026):
Shall Bernalillo County amend its Home Rule Charter, Article IX – Elections, to affirm that the Board of County Commissioners may, by ordinance, enact an Open and Ethical Elections Ordinance providing voluntary public financing for Countywide Office and County Commission candidates who agree to spending limits and qualification requirements?
Track the process:
- Bernalillo County Code of Conduct Review Board recommendations due: Aug. 31, 2027
- Two public hearings required before final ordinance adoption
- Meeting video/agenda: bernco.gov/live or youtube.com/user/BernalilloCounty
- Public comment sign-up: bernco.gov/boards-commissions/speak-at-a-meeting