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Monday, April 14, 2008

AFSCME Endorses Toulouse Oliver for Bernalillo County Clerk

Maggie Toulouse Oliver, our current Bernalillo County Clerk, is running to retain her post and is seeking our support. She has a primary challenger and, if she wins the nomination, will face a Republican candidate this Fall. By all accounts Toulouse Oliver and her staff have done an excellent job in improving operations in the Clerk's Office, stressing transparency, professionalism, outreach and training. They've been working hard to upgrade and modernize the work of the Clerk's Office, including how voting and elections under their purview are conducted, and have sought out public comment at every stage of the process.

D'Val Westphal had an excellent piece in the Albuquerque Journal this Sunday about the proactive efforts undertaken by Toulouse Oliver in seeking to make improvements in terms of, in Maggie's words, "Better training for poll workers, better ways of informing the public, better ways to handle and tally ballots, better ways to tighten up ballot security."

Recently, Toulouse Oliver got an important endorsement from AFSCME. Here's the statement released by her campaign:

I want to let you in on the latest excitement – Recently, my campaign for Bernalillo County Clerk has picked up serious momentum – and a coveted endorsement from a key political organization.

I’m proud to announce that I've received the endorsement of AFSCME Council 18 – which represents state, county and city employees here in New Mexico.

AFSCME understands that jobs, wages and working conditions are directly linked to politics, and is one of the most powerful and politically effective unions in America, with 1.4 million members, 12,000 of whom live and work in New Mexico. Through active participation in the political arena, AFSCME members have a say in policy-making and in electing politicians who support laws that benefit working families.

I have worked side-by-side with AFSCME and other union members over the years to help advance pro-union issues and candidates, and I am honored to have their support in my campaign for County Clerk.

Approximately 30 of the 50 staff members in my office belong to AFSCME. I believe that this is testament to the fact that I am working hard to ensure that union-represented employees in Bernalillo County are treated fairly, honestly and with the respect they deserve.

Receiving this endorsement is a critical victory, as AFSCME invests heavily in its candidates and helps them win!

This is a pivotal time in my campaign, since much of the money I raise, the endorsements I receive, and the work I do now will set the stage for success later on. I need your help more than ever. A contribution of $100, $50, or even $5, will greatly enable me to share my message of free and fair elections, as well as efficiency, professionalism and ethics in county government, with voters.

Thank you for your generous help and support – together we will win! Click to contribute.

Sincerely,
Maggie Toulouse Oliver
Bernalillo County Clerk

To add your support to Toulouse Oliver's campaign, visit her website.

Also check out our previous post on Toulouse Oliver's campaign.

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April 14, 2008 at 09:28 AM in 2008 Bernalillo County Elections | Permalink

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