Unofficial city results have Coss winning with 58 percent of the vote, District 2 City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger trouncing challenger Stefanie Beninato, and District 1 Councilor Chris Calvert holding onto his seat with ease with 57 perent of the vote compared with Russell Simon’s 28. 6 and Doug Nava 13.6.

Down at the Convention Center, Mayor Coss took the stage at about 8:30, after an introduction by Lt. Governor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish. Coss gave a brief but encompassing speech to the room, noting his gratitude and humility. Following his speech, Coss told SFR that the campaign had been “energizing, but I still need a vacation.” His win, he then said, “is a confirmation that the city is united, the city is progressive and that it recognizes hard work.”

Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger, who was under attack for most of the campaign from her challenger, told SFR her third election had been her hardest, in large part because of the “nature of the public debate,” noting that her previous challengers had been more civil (Wurzburger’s last challenger, Marilyn Bane, worked on her campaign). Wurzburger said she would have liked to have won by 95 percent, “but I’m grateful to get what I got.”

Here’s the lowdown from District 1 incumbent Chris Calvert’s victory party, along with the lowdown from Simon and Kepler.

I’ll have Coss and Wurzburger’s speeches shortly.

We’d heard a little buzz from the campaign trail on the issue of poll watchers for Santa Fe’s municipal election today, so I called up the new city attorney, Geno Zamora, to get the lowdown on poll watching and the like.

Apparently, last week, both the Kepler and Coss campaigns inquired to the city about having poll watchers. Zamora then consulted the state statutes that govern municipal elections and let both campaigns know that under the code, they would need to request poll watchers in writing and, then agree upon said poll watchers by 5 pm last Friday.

None of that happened, hence, no poll watchers.

Poll watchers, Zamora tells me, are basically out there so that campaigns can keep an eye on who is voting and let the campaign know if some folks haven’t voted, so that they can be rousted from their, presumably, cozy house where they have forgotten it’s an election day (this is my somewhat liberal interpretation of the info Zamora gave me; he really didn’t say anything like that).

There is also something known as a poll challenger, and these folks are there to challenge problems or what have you at polling places. Placing poll challengers requires the same protocol as poll watchers.

Poll observers, on the other hand, must be approved by the governing body.

In any event, there are no watchers, challengers or observers today.

Zamora thinks the code is a bit vague and could use revision.

“My recommendation on how the code should be revised is that there needs to be a process that ensures the presence of poll watchers who can help increase voter turnout in municipal elections,” he says.

Win or lose, most of the March 2 city candidates will be hanging out with their supporters somewhere tonight, waiting for results, celebrating and crying in their beers, um, margaritas. SFR will be out and about, as well, and you can follow us here, and on Twitter, and contribute your own election-night observations by hashtagging #sfvote

Here’s what we know about tonight’s festivities:

Mayor David Coss and District 2 City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger: Santa Fe Community Center

Mayor candidate, City Councilor Miguel Chavez: Union Protectiva, 312 Sandoval St.

Mayor candidate Asenath Kepler: La Fonda

District 1 Councilor Chris Calvert: Cowgirl

District 1 candidate Russell Simon: Marble Brewery

District 1 candidate Doug Nava: at his house (not sure if this is open to the public, although I find it hard to imagine Nava throwing people out)

District 2 candidate Stefanie Beninato: As yet unknown (to us)

Polls close at 7 pm and, unless I am very much mistaken, we’ll probably know who won pretty early.

Image by programwitch via Flickr

So…here’s a heart-filled slideshow from SFR’s pre-Valentine’s party, which was held Feb. 10 at the Lodge. All shots by the talented (and tolerant) Jonathan Tercero. I apologize for being in way too many of them; if it’s any consolation, I actually cut quite a few that I was in beyond these, but I didn’t want to penalize the other people in the photos with me just because I’m a shameless camera hog.

Also, audioswap on youtube is sort of a freak show, so, when in doubt, go for what you know, I always say.

Here’s the first of the batch of photos from SFR’s Feb. 10 pre-Valentine’s party, held at The Lodge, where a good time was had by all (or at least, most).

These shots are from SFR intern Tyler Arp. More of the “official” photos by Jonathan Tercero are on the way.