Today’s paper contains a brief rundown of a meeting of minds: 7th and 8th graders from the Santa Fe Girls’ School, who have spent the last few weeks studying the US Constitution and the history of New Mexico’s statehood, and Santa Fe Mayor David Coss. But SFR had to jet before the discussion got really good, so we called the Girls’ School development director, Cullen Curtiss, for an update. Read it after the jump. Continue reading »

On March 10, the Santa Fe City Council will adopt the official results of last week’s municipal elections. We’ve pasted those results below the jump for all the local political junkies to pore over, and the new issue of SFR that hits the streets this week day will contain a mini-analysis of voter turnout—which was piss-poor as expected.

Actually, turnout was slightly worse than expected—which perhaps should be no surprise, considering the leading daily’s Eeyore treatment of the race.

The consequence of such low participation figures is easy to understand: People don’t feel invested in their government.

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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.

Asenath Kepler just told applauding supporters of her failed mayoral campaign that their fight–as she put it, the fight of dissatisfied elements of the local private sector–will continue, with or without the mayor, with or without the city council.

We’ll find out what she has in mind, and let you know ASAP.

Update: Kepler tells SFR she wasn’t referring to a new activist or lobbying group, per se, but rather, a concerted private-sector effort to accomplish specific local projects outside the City Council process. For instance: funding a youth theater proposed by Arthur Jaramillo.

Update: Watch a video of Kepler’s speech after the jump.

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Mayoral candidate Asenath Kepler’s campaigners are filling in results on this board as they arrive.

“This is depressing,” SFR overheard one Kepler supporter say.

Mayor David Coss appears to have sizable leads in every precinct that’s reported results so far.

Update: @Zanes_world Tweets that Coss wins with 58 percent of the vote.