By DIANE DENISH
Corner To Corner
diane@dianedenish.com

It’s local election season across New Mexico—our chance to choose the people who represent us closest to home: mayors, city councilors, and school board members.

While candidates have a responsibility to share their ideas and solutions, voters have an equal responsibility to vet those candidates. Doing that work now prepares us for 2026 and beyond, when more statewide and federal races will appear on the ballot. Yes, it takes time, but the payoff comes when you fill out your ballot knowing exactly who you’re voting for, what they stand for, and why they deserve your support.

Lately, I’ve been asked more than usual about “down-ballot” races. Neighbors and friends sometimes  say they don’t know enough to make informed choices. Here are a few tips I pass along for becoming a better-informed voter. Spoiler alert: it takes more than watching commercials, sound bites, or reading campaign mailers.

Do your own research

• Start with candidate websites. A good website should include a candidate’s personal and professional background, as well as their positions on key issues. Look for specific ideas, not just flowery platitudes.

Attend a forum or debate

• These events let you see candidates in person and gauge their character and communication style. In New Mexico, forums are accessible in nearly every community—take advantage of them.
• Remember: the most photogenic candidate isn’t always the most authentic or capable. When you meet them, trust your instincts about their authenticity, compassion, and competence.

Evaluate their experience

• Look for signs of community involvement—service on boards, nonprofits, or volunteer groups can reveal a lot about a person’s values and commitment.
• If they’ve held office before, check their record: Did they show up? Produce results? Earn the right to seek another term or promotion? Ask what they’ve learned from mistakes and how they corrected them.
• Review campaign finance reports. Who’s funding their campaign? Is support broad-based, or does it come primarily from special interests such as unions, trial lawyers, or the oil and gas industry? Look for candidates who collaborate and seek solutions, not just attention.

Ask tough questions

• When you meet a candidate—at a town hall, debate, or fundraiser—treat it like a job interview, because it is. Ask: What’s the biggest challenge facing your city, district, or school board, and how would you address it?
• Don’t accept vague answers. If someone says, “Homelessness is a big issue,” and then just describes the problem, follow up with, “What’s your solution?”
• Ask how they will engage with diverse groups of stakeholders?

Beware

• Be cautious of candidates who point fingers, demonize others, or rely on empty slogans instead of offering solutions.
• Beware of extravagant promises outside the purview of the office they are seeking.
• Also beware of those who answer a question with a question—like, “What do you think?”—to avoid giving a real response.
• And be wary of anyone who acts like they have all the answers. Authentic candidates are comfortable admitting what they don’t know. A simple, “I’m not sure, but I’m willing to learn,” is a sign of humility and honesty.

Talk to people you trust

• Ask friends, neighbors, community leaders, or business owners who’ve interacted with the candidate. Their first-hand experiences can be invaluable.
• A word of caution: endorsements don’t always reflect personal knowledge. Sometimes elected officials back a candidate because a group or donor asked them to do so.

Yes, voters have responsibilities, too. It’s not enough to vote for the name you’ve seen most often or the one with the flashiest ads. Our job is to do the hard work of finding out who best represents our communities and aligns with our values.

Democracy works best when voters do their part to be informed.