Voters waited in long lines at polling locations, a reflection of a special election that was not only hotly contested, but the most expensive in city history with more than $3 million spent by political groups trying to sway voters.

Mayor Javier Gonzales statement

“From the beginning, for everyone involved in advocating for this effort, this has been about our commitment to Santa Fe’s children, about living up to our duty to provide them and every passing generation of Santa Feans after them with a better future and a brighter inheritance.

For too long, our leaders have stood by, or worse, stood in the way, blocking proposals that would have stopped the slide our state seems stuck in and lived up to what we owe the next generation.

I put this forward because I see thousands of Santa Fe children start their lives behind the curve, and I simply can’t stand aside and do nothing when the possibility to act and act decisively is right there in front of us.

If one thing was clear in this debate, it is that there is overwhelming support for finding a way to make sure every child in Santa Fe and in New Mexico can go as far as their dreams will take them. We may not all agree on how we get there, but that’s okay, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Now we get back to work, knowing that we have far more in common that the things that have long divided us.

I’m here to tell you it’s never been more important. Our state is struggling, and there are a lot of ideas out there about how to correct it. But the one thing I know to be true is that whatever we do, it has to start with doing better by our kids.

No matter your point of view, I respect every voice that was raised and every vote that was cast in this election, and of course we honor the decision the people of Santa Fe have made. As a public official you can never go wrong listening to the voices of the people you serve.

Our commitment, my commitment, to Santa Fe’s children will only grow stronger moving forward. Because there are still 1,000 kids out there in my community who won’t get the start they need, and that cannot stand. So let us make a commitment here, all of us, no matter how you voted tonight, to keep working, keep striving, keep pushing to find ways to lift them up to the future they deserve.”