Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Election ballots ready for viewing

Curry County Clerk Annie Hogland and Roosevelt County Clerk Mandi Park say ballots for the Nov. 8 election have been proofread and are ready for viewing online and at county clerk offices in Clovis or Portales.

Early voting begins Oct. 11. Election Day is Nov. 8.

“Voters may print a sample, know who the candidates are on the ballot and research the candidates,” now that sample ballots are available, Park said.

Both counties have different legislative districts and county commission districts, so not all precincts have the same lineup on their ballots.

For example, in Curry County there is a contested race in Commission District 2 between Republican candidate Bradley Bender and Independent candidate Tom Martin. That race will not appear in other districts.

There are separate ballots in Curry County Commission District 1 where Fidel Madrid is running unopposed for commissioner and District 3 where Dusty Leatherwood is running unopposed.

Three legislative districts have territory in Curry County: District 64 where there is a contested race between Republican Andrea Reeb and Independent David Lansford, District 63 where Martin Zamora is running uncontested as is Jackey Chatfield in District 67.

Two legislative districts have territory in Roosevelt County: Districts 63 and 64.

There are 17 different ballots in Roosevelt County’s 12 precincts. Most of the differences involve two different legislative districts and uncontested commissioner voting.

Curry County Chief Deputy Clerk Adrian Ancira said Curry County has 14 different ballots for the Nov. 8 election.

Roosevelt County is divided legislatively between Zamora’s District 63 and District 64 where Reeb and Lansford are vying for the job.

Precinct 12 alone will have four different ballots distributed for early voting or on election day: One ballot features voting for Commissioner Tina Dixon in her uncontested bid to return to Roosevelt County commission for another term, another ballot features Paul Grider in his uncontested run to return to Roosevelt County commission.

One name not on the ballot is Brian Stover’s, who was appointed the 9th Judicial District Attorney earlier this year by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The appointment is good until year’s end and no Democrats or other candidates emerged to seek the position. But Stover failed to meet the Aug. 30 filing deadline for his name to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Stover last month filed a lawsuit in the 9th District Court asking his name appear on the ballot anyway, telling The News, “I was just waiting on paperwork to come back in so I could file it, but then we got busy with a bunch of homicides and other things and the deadline was missed.”

On Thursday, Stover said he plans to drop the lawsuit. “No judge was assigned to the case and now the ballots have gone out,” he said. “If I were to prevail ... it would cost taxpayers thousands of dollars ... I am not willing to continue when a win would cost the taxpayer.”

Instead, Stover said he will ask the governor for another appointment to the position.

Gov. Lujan Grisham did not immediately respond to questions about the position from The News.

All ballots in Curry and Roosevelt counties feature the candidates wanting to be elected to federal and state offices.

Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez is seeking re-election to the state’s third congressional seat. She is being challenged by Republican Alexis Johnson.

Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is seeking re-election and is being challenged by Republican Mark Ronchetti and Libertarian Karen Bedoni.

The ballots also feature state constitutional amendment and bond questions.

People who are interested in viewing ballots online may go to the voter’s portal at the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.state.nm.us/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal/

Copies are also available at the county clerk’s offices.

For Curry County’s clerk Annie Hogland her office is on the first floor of the county annex at 417 Gidding St., Clovis.

Roosevelt County clerk Mandi Park’s office is on the first floor of the Roosevelt County Courthouse on the square in downtown Portales.

 
 
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