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NEA-New Mexico Sponsors "Educators Vote Early" Day October 22

  Thousands of educators, school staff, parents, and community members are expected to vote throughout the state on October 22 as part of The National Education Association – New Mexico’s Educators Vote Early campaign.

NEA-New Mexico represents educators and school staff in 30 counties and 69 local school districts. NEA-New Mexico has called on local Associations to create public awareness events that gather voters together before traveling as a group to early voting locations.

“This election will have a tremendous and long-lasting impact on our students and public schools in New Mexico,” says NEA New Mexico President Betty Patterson. “We need the community, voters, and especially the politicians to see our collective determination to solve some of the major problems facing our public schools. This type of collective action is a perfect opportunity to send that message.”

Funding for New Mexico’s public schools is an example of the type of problem educators are calling on political leaders to fix. Out of every $1 spent on public schools in the state, 35 cents comes from the state legislature. But the state is providing 14% less funding for local schools today than it did just five years ago, and per-pupil expenditures have fallen by some $1,000 per student during that same period of time.

“We have more students facing difficult challenges with fewer teachers and financial resources to meet those challenges,” adds Patterson. “New Mexico’s children and families deserve great public schools. Hopefully, our collective action to have several thousand Association members and their families and friends vote early as part of this campaign can send the message that our students and our schools deserve more support.”

Through its political action committee, NEA-New Mexico has endorsed a number of candidates for statewide office, including Gary King for Governor. The Association has also endorsed candidates in 52 of the states 70 state legislative races. 

Local activities planned across New Mexico include:

·         Las Cruces:  a mass rally 4:15 to 6 pm, Albert Johnson Park, contact Kathy Porter, (575) 644-0760.

·         Sandoval County (Bernalillo and Rio Rancho):  4:40,  Sandoval County Clerk office plaza, contact Charles Goodmacher, (505) 450-3155

·         Santa Fe County (Santa Fe and members living there):  4:45 Santa Fe County Clerk office ground floor hallway, contact Patricia Gay Webb, (505) 795-0538

·         Alamogordo:  3:30-5pm Flickenger Center, contact Pandy Van Auken, (575) 430-1024

·         Lea County (Lovington and Hobbs): 4:30 at the Lea County Clerk’s office, contact Trish Ruiz, (575) 631-3217

·         Las Vegas: Educators will gather with signs on the Plaza, contact: Jon Leibowitz,  (412)290-5609