Title
Incorporated County of Los Alamos Resolution No. 26-16, A Resolution of the Council of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos Approving the Temporary Relocation of the Voter Convenience Center for the Consolidated Precinct Consisting of Precincts 17 Through 23 for the November 3, 2026, General Election
Recommended Action
I move that Council adopt Resolution No. 26-16, A Resolution of the Council of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos Approving the Temporary Relocation of the Voter Convenience Center for the Consolidated Precinct Consisting of Precincts 17 Through 23 for the November 3, 2026, General Election, subject to District Court approval.
Clerk's Recommendation
The County Clerk recommends that Council adopt Resolution No. 26-16.
Body
The Los Alamos County Clerk's Office requests Council approval of Resolution No. 26-16 to temporarily relocate the Voter Convenience Center (VCC) for the consolidated precinct consisting of Precincts 17 through 23 from the Betty Ehart Senior Center to the Mesa Public Library for the November 3, 2026, General Election. The existing Voter Convenience Centers at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building and the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos will remain unchanged.
Resolution No. 25-11 designated the Betty Ehart Senior Center as one of the County's Voter Convenience Centers for statewide and special elections conducted during calendar years 2026 and 2027. The Betty Ehart Senior Center is scheduled to undergo significant renovations beginning in August 2026, including replacement of the building's Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, along with related electrical and plumbing upgrades, energy-efficient lighting improvements, elevator modernization, flooring replacement, restroom renovations, door and window replacements, and accessibility improvements identified in the 2022 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Site Accessibility Evaluation.
Due to the scope of the project, construction activities are expected to impact public access, parking, interior circulation, utility services, and the overall ability to safely conduct Election Day operations. As a result, the Betty Ehart Senior Center may not consistently provide an accessible, secure, and operationally suitable polling location during the renovation period.
The County Clerk has evaluated the Mesa Public Library and determined that it provides a suitable temporary replacement Voter Convenience Center. The facility complies with the polling place requirements of the New Mexico Election Code, provides adequate parking and accessibility, accommodates voting equipment, election workers, voters, and election observers, and offers sufficient interior space to support efficient voter flow. The Mesa Public Library also provides unobstructed access to at least one voting machine for individuals with physical mobility limitations.
Pursuant to NSMA 1978, Section 1-3-5(B) (2019), no precinct shall be created, divided, abolished or combined or the boundaries adjusted less than four (4) months prior to a statewide election, except by order of the District Court. The November 3, 2026, General Election, the next statewide election, will be held less than four (4) months after the date of this Resolution. Accordingly, the District Court will need to approve the temporary replacement of the Voter Convenience Center.
Approval of Resolution No. 26-16 will allow sufficient time for the County Attorney’s Office to obtain District Court approval and for the Clerk's Office to notify the New Mexico Secretary of State, the county chairs of each major political party, and affected voters; publish the required public notice; update election publications and precinct information; revise the statewide voter registration system; and complete all election preparations necessary to ensure the orderly administration of the November 3, 2026, General Election.
Attachments
A - Resolution No. 26-16 Polling Location Change