Dorothy Wilkinson, chair of West Side Democrats of Bernalillo County (WSD), said the group has ambitious plans for the next phase of the 2024 campaign season. “While our goal is to get Democrats elected, we also want to create a space where like-minded Democrats can work together,” she said. Those who feel welcome within the group often become its most committed members.

The West Side, which includes the chunk of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande, is one of Albuquerque’s fastest-growing areas with a 2020 population of 132,500. Previously the West Side was entirely within NM Congressional District 1, but, due to recent redistricting, a rectangular portion of the area is now in CD2. At one time the West Side was mostly Republican territory, but, with more people moving into the area, new voters have helped turn it Democratic blue.

Wilkinson is her own best example. After her retirement from a 28-year career teaching high school English in Gallup she moved to Albuquerque. “I had planned to take it easy, but 2016 happened,” she said laughing. Drawing on her hard-fought collective bargaining experience in Gallup, she thought, “I’d better step in.” She attended her first precinct meeting in early 2017.

She said the group hit its stride when Flora Lucero became chair. “Flora was a whirlwind, and made sure we all found our niche. Mine was making phone calls,” she said. Then COVID hit, shutting down public gatherings. Gearing back up again was slow work.

However, they did rebound, thanks to volunteers who made phone calls inviting people to meetings. Traditional methods like phone banking and door-to-door canvassing in the run-up to the 2022 midterms paid off in what Wilkinson called “people working for people.” By election day volunteers had logged thousands of hours in get-out-the-vote efforts.

Those volunteer hours helped Democrats win the House as well as local races. Democrats won every race on the West Side in 2023. 

Members of the WSD helped capture a seat on the school board representing the West Side. “We worked with the Teacher’s Federation to keep Moms for Liberty out of the district,” she said. In the final tally, their candidate, Ronaldo Tome-Warito, defeated the long-time incumbent by 200 votes. 

This spring Wilkinson was elected chair of the WSD. As the group gears up for the November election, it will again tap into the power of its volunteers. The communications committee is retooling its social media to become “the pulse of the West Side,” a resource on issues relevant to the area.

The WSD also will continue to mix politics and fun. “We proved we could get people elected. It’s old-fashioned politics,” she said. They often hold casual get-togethers at a coffee shop or brew pub. On June 24, the group is hosting a carnival-themed meeting at 5:30pm at the Don Newton Community Center. WSD, after a hiatus in July, then plans to hold a picnic on August 15. Wilkinson said a more casual atmosphere encourages people to get to know their elected officials and talk with the candidates running for office.