DeBaca County canvass approved 

FORT SUMNER — The De Baca County Commission approved Nov. 14 the canvass of the 2022 general election, despite what the commissioners said were emails urging them not to certify the vote. 

The commissioners voted 3-0 to certify the vote, as presented by County Clerk Jeff Hromas, who said the election went very smoothly and without incident.

Prior to the certifications, all three commissioners said they had received at least one email urging them not to certify the election. Hromas said he had received the emails as well, by recommended the commissioners certify due to the consistency of the returns and the lack of anomalies in the election.

One of the emails, from State Rep. Rob Montoya of Farmington states: “Do not certify an election that was conducted on non-compliant equipment. You could collectively be liable to civil and criminal penalties. A hand count of the 2022 ballots must be enacted.” 

Another, from Cynthia Canner, a “concerned NM citizen” asked the commission to “provide the Cast Vote Record to a competent individual for analysis to look for evidence of ballot stuffing or machine manipulation” and “ensure that number of voted by precinct and vote type in the election results reconcile with the voter history in the registration database.” 

Commissioner Scot Stinnett said De Baca County’s election returns were pretty much consistent with recent previous elections and that the process went very smooth. De Baca County’s returns were complete in less than 90 minutes after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Nov. 8.

Similar emails were received by Curry and Roosevelt County clerks and commissioners.

The writer of the email sent to Curry County, Annette Castillo, tried to call in and comment during last week’s Curry County Commission meeting. Commission chair Chet Spear told Castillo she had missed the public comment portion ot the meeting and invited her to call back at the proper time during December’s commission meeting.