Preliminary Election Results for 2023

Todd Brogowski -
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This month’s content sponsor is the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions, who invite you to join them for the annual Luminaria de Abó on December 2, 2023. This will be a magical evening with flickering luminaria amongst the historical ruins of the San Gregorio de Abó Mission. There will be a Roman Catholic mass at 4:00 PM, followed by a posada, a traditional reenactment of the Holy Family’s search for lodging practiced in Mexico and Latin America since 1586. The public will be able to tour the grounds of the ruins amidst the flickering luminaria beginning at 5:30 PM, and there will be refreshments for all ages and piñatas for the children. This will be the largest luminaria event in Central New Mexico. For more information, please click this link, visit the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions website, or go to the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions Facebook page. 

The Secretary of State Office for New Mexico has released unofficial election results from yesterday's elections in Torrance County and around the state. Local election results are as follows:

East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation Board

  • Jennifer Logan won 51% of the vote with 286 votes and Christina Estrada won 49% of the vote with 274 votes.
  • Clayton Gardner won the landowner supervisor slot unopposed.

Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation Board

  • For the landowner supervisor slot, Felipe Lovato won 35% of the vote with 102 votes, Gerald Chavez won 31% of the vote with 90 votes, and Aubrey Dunn won 34% of the vote with 98 votes.

Encino

  • Victor Gallegos won with 100% of the votes in his unopposed race for mayor.
  • In the Encino Town Council race, Steve Guzman received 32% of the vote (19 votes), Corine Perez received 33% of the vote (20 votes), and Elias Sanchez received 35% of the vote (21 votes).

Estancia

  • In the Trustee at Large race, cannabis shop owner Amy May won 39% of the vote (54 votes), Irena Moser (wife of mayor Nathan Dial) received 16% of the votes (22 votes), write-in candidate Patrick Sanchez received 27% of the vote, and write-in candidate Mark Martinez received 18% of the vote (25 votes).
  • In the Estancia Municipal School District Board of Education race, Ashley Romero won 39% of the vote with 211 votes, Sarah Lucero won 33% of the vote with 178 votes, and Heather Hedges won 28% of the vote with 151 votes.
Advertise with the Dispatch: If you are considering advertising with the Mountainair Dispatch, please email me at todd@mountainairdispatch.com or 719-496-1660. I can help with graphics and copywriting. Consider sponsoring free public access to a month's worth of news. It's a cheap - but effective - way to get your products and services in front of Torrance County readers.

Moriarty

  • In what may be considered an upset, Brandon Web beat City Councilmember Steve Anaya in the Moriarty Mayoral Race with 53% of the vote (152 votes) to Anaya's 47% of the vote (134 votes).
  • In the councilor at large race, Kimberly Delynn Garcia received 39% of the vote (140 votes), W. Brent Myrick received 19% of the vote (66 votes), and Jeremy Trujillo received 42% of the vote (150 votes).
  • In the Moriarty-Edgewood School District (MESD) school board position 2 race, Denny Young won unopposed.
  • In the MESD school board position 3 race, Jeffrey Lossing won 40% of the vote (31 votes), Lacey Hites won 38% of the vote (29 votes), and Dawn Middleton won 22% of the vote (17 votes).
  • In the MESD school board position 4 race, Dorothy Encinias-Pachta won 49% of the vote (161 votes) and Albert Chavez won 51% of the vote (170).

Mountainair

  • In the Town Council race, incumbent Ernie Lopez received 19% of the vote (87 votes), Mayor pro tem Gayle Jones received 40% of the vote (181 votes), and newcomer Annette Padilla received 40% of the vote (181 votes as well).
  • In the municipal judge contest, Carlos McMahon is currently listed as having received 100% of the vote (72 votes), and write-in candidate Michelle Archuleta did not receive any votes. However, on social media, Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto has claimed that he is aware of an unofficial count of write-in votes, with 192 votes going to Archuleta.
  • In the Mountainair Public Schools Board of Education member at large race, Victor Romero won 26% of the vote with 264 votes, Darrell Roberts won 24% of the vote with 246 votes, Ramona Medina won 15% of the vote with 158 votes, Kristin Oliver won 17% of the vote with 177 votes, and Ray Sharbutt won 17% of the vote with 175 votes.

Willard

  • In the trustee's race, Fay Chavez received 100% of the vote (41 votes). It is possible that write-in votes for Barbara Delgado and Anntonett Garcia have not yet been tabulated.