Acequia Madre Elementary School is usually a hot spot on Election Day. This year, it was a real snooze.

The polling place at the east-side school typically experiences turnout of 50 percent or better, but during Tuesday's municipal election, about 26 percent of voters cast ballots there.

Still, that polling place fared better than the citywide turnout, which was just under 20 percent — the lowest in at least 12 years.

Acequia Madre poll worker and presiding judge Deanna Einspahr said she didn't have an explanation for the decrease. Like many others, she shrugged her shoulders when asked why more people don't exercise their right to vote.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Einspahr said. "It was certainly not a controversial campaign. All the candidates were genteel with each other. But there are people who we did not see who usually come to vote. Everyone was just not interested."

Candidate Robbie Dobyns, who lost a bid for District 2 seat to Rosemary Romero, said the low turnout was scary. Dobyns said he didn't have any idea about why many of the city's registered voters did not show up at polls.

"I just don't know, especially with all the excitement on the national scene," he said. "I went the morning of the (Feb. 5) Democratic caucus to Acequia Madre, and it was an hour and a half to get in to vote. That was a stupid caucus, but I think that this (city election) would have some importance."

On the south side, Councilor Miguel Chavez stood in front of Ortiz Middle School wearing gloves and a hat as he held a sign and waved to passersby.

"This weather is the best that it's been on election day that I can remember," he said. "Usually it is snowing or raining or it's really cold. The weather in this case can in no way be a factor in the low turnout."

Chavez's District 3 had the second lowest turnout of any district with just 18.3 percent of registered voters casting ballots. In District 4, where the council seat was uncontested, 16.1 percent of voters went to polls. District 1 showed 22.5 percent and District 2 had 21.3 percent.