Assuming his narrow lead holds, Jack Eakman is the new representative of District 4 on the Las Cruces City Council.
Courtesy photo
Jack Eakman
Eakman narrowly won Tuesday with 44 percent of the vote to Richard Hall’s 43 percent. Only 11 votes separated the two candidates, raising the question of whether Hall would seek a recount. Hall and Eakman could not immediately be reached for comment.
“Thank you, everyone,” Eakman wrote on Facebook. “Every vote counts, doesn’t it?”
The city has no automatic recount provision, so the cost would be Hall’s if he seeks a recount.
Assuming the results hold, Eakman will replace Nathan Small, who chose not to seek re-election this year.
A third candidate, Gilbert Vasquez, won 13 percent, or 183 votes. As NMPolitics.net reported, Vasquez filed paperwork asking Gov. Susana Martinez to erase a felony conviction so he would be eligible to take office if he won — but he doesn’t meet Martinez’s requirements to be considered for a pardon.
This article has been updated.