ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS DEFEAT A PROPOSED LATE TERM ABORTION BAN IN TUESDAY'S SPECIAL ELECTION. THE VOTE WAS 55 PERCENT AGAINST TO 45 PERCENT IN FAVOR OF THE BAN THAT WOULD HAVE ENDED THE CHOICE OF GETTING AN ABORTION AFTER 20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. TARA SHAVER … A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE REFERENDUM … SAYS THE ISSUE IS FAR FROM OVER. SHE SAYS THEY'LL KEEP WORKING TO BAN LATE TERM ABORTIONS.
MORE THAN 87 THOUSAND PEOPLE CAST BALLOTS ON THE ISSUE … WITH NEARLY 37 THOUSAND OF THEM VOTING IN TUESDAY SPECIAL ELECTION.
AFTER TUESDAY'S ELECTION, DEMOCRATS ARE NOW THE MAJORITY ON THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL. VOTERS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 7 ELECTED DIANE GIBSON OVER INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN COUNCILOR JANICE ARNOLD JONES. JONES WAS APPOINTED BY MAYOR RICHARD BERRY IN APRIL TO REPLACE MICHAEL COOK WHO RESIGNED AFTER A DWI ARREST. IT'S BELIEVED THAT TUESDAY'S STRONG VOTER TURNOUT ON THE ABORTION BAN HELPED GIBSON WIN. SHE TOOK 52 PERCENT OF THE VOTE TO ARNOLD-JONES' 48 PERCENT.
ARNOLD JONES IS THE SECOND OF MAYOR BERRY'S APPOINTED COUNCILORS TO LOSE THEIR SEAT THIS YEAR. REPUBLICAN ROXANNA MEYERS LOST TO DEMOCRAT ISAAC BENTON IN THE DISTRICT TWO RACE IN THE OCTOBER 8TH ELECTION.
