Jack Torres won a fifth term as mayor of the Town of Bernalillo on Tuesday, defeating challenger James Baca in a municipal election that also asked voters to decide on a new economic development tax.
With all 10 of 10 precincts fully reporting, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, Torres defeated Baca 605 to 244 — capturing 71% of the 849 votes cast in the mayoral race.
“I’m extremely grateful to our community for the vote of confidence,” Torres told the Sandoval Signpost. “Bernalillo is a wonderful community and I take the confidence shown in me seriously. I’m looking forward to the next four years working collaboratively with our town council, top notch administrative leadership and exceptional staff.”
Torres, who first took office in 2010, had campaigned on a record of fiscal turnaround and capital investment. During his tenure, the town secured $8 million for a new fire station, received clean financial audits annually since 2022 and obtained an $835,000 federal grant to help senior citizens with energy efficiency improvements.
More recently, the town received $1 million from U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s office for wastewater plant upgrades and broke ground on a $1 million streetscape project along Camino del Pueblo that will add ADA-compliant sidewalks and decorative lighting.
Baca, who narrowly lost Town Council races in both 2022 and 2024, said he was recruited by residents who felt their areas of town were lacking in services. He had argued that Torres’ long tenure had not delivered strong governance or forward-thinking leadership, and raised questions about turnover in police and fire department leadership.
Nearly 400 people took to the polls but didn’t vote for either mayoral candidate as 1,219 votes were cast for two at-large Town Council seats. Incumbents Vincent Montoya and Gerred Prairie ran unopposed with Montoya getting bragging rights with 613 votes to Prairie’s 606.
The quarter-cent gross receipts tax referendum also passed, with voters approving the measure 609 to 213, a margin of 74% to 26%.
The proposed quarter-cent gross receipts tax — 25 cents per $100 of taxable gross receipts — was estimated to generate $738,679 annually for economic development, according to town officials. Qualifying uses under state law include arts and cultural districts, cultural facilities and retail businesses. Torres said before the election that the town did not yet have specific plans for the revenue.