ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – Bernalillo County’s marijuana penalty advisory question passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote. It doesn’t change the law, but supporters hope city and state officials are paying attention.

Lots of people are still talking about that advisory question, saying it won’t do anything. But supporters, lawmakers and some city councilors claim those votes carry much more weight than one might think.

Supporters of reducing marijuana penalties in Bernalillo County celebrated as the votes came in. Nearly 60 percent of voters in said they want reduced penalties for small amounts of marijuana.

“It got more votes than even Susana Martinez in Bernalillo County,” said Pat Davis, of ProgressNow New Mexico.

But Tuesday’s ballot question was posed only to gauge public opinion.

Mayor Richard Berry vetoed city council’s resolution to put the issue on the ballot. But some city and county officials still wanted to hear from the voters. More than 90,000 people voted to reduce pot penalties in Bernalillo County.

“It was the very bottom of the ballot, and that many people still voted on this initiative,” said Ken Sanchez, Albuquerque City Council President.

Now that they have heard from voters, City Councilor Rey Garduño wants to craft legislation to reduce pot penalties in a city ordinance. Santa Fe’s city council approved a similar proposal.

But whether the mayor or republican councilors will now re-think the issue, is still unclear.

“I would hope that that would be the case,” said Sanchez.

Supporters of the initiative want something done at the state level.

“I think voters gave legislators a mandate,” explained Davis.

Democratic State Senator, Jerry Ortiz y Pino told KRQE News 13 he plans to introduce once again, a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

“I’m pretty confident that there are going to be some republicans who will take a look at this in an honest and fair way, and reach their own conclusions,” said Ortiz y Pino.

Read more here: http://krqe.com/2014/11/05/supporters-want-action-after-marijuana-vote/