Commission certifies election results, sets details of committee that will examine elections problems

The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners plans to create an ad-hoc committee composed of 7-9 members that will examine operations of the elections bureau, from pre-election planning to post-election reporting.

Though the commission wants the committee to make recommendations for changes needed in the office so the commission can adopt official policies and procedures, the board can’t force policy changes on elected Clerk Rita Torres.

The commission does, however, control Torres’ budget.

Commissioners voted at a Friday afternoon meeting to create the committee. At the same meeting, they voted to certify the primary election results.

Torres, who rarely works an eight-hour day, was not present for the meeting.

“I’m confident that these numbers today are accurate,” Elections Director Mari Langford told commissioners before all five voted to certify the results.

Commissioners created the committee in response to what they perceive to be problems with the primary election. Though last week’s election went more smoothly than some in recent years, the county elections bureau carries a lot of baggage.

Then-County Clerk Ruben Ceballos was forced from office several years ago after being convicted of elections violations. He was given a deferred, five year sentence, so the conviction will eventually be erased from his record if he stays out of trouble.

And a mathematical error in the county in 2000 resulted in George Bush mistakenly being declared early on the winner of the state’s five electoral votes. Discovery of the mistake shifted the victory to Al Gore.

“We’re trying to get to the problems that we’re having,” Commission Chairwoman Dolores Saldaña-Caviness said at the meeting.

The committee will consist of an even number of Democrats and Republicans and at least one registered voter who is independent or a member of a minor party, commissioners decided.

The commission extended the deadline for applications until Thursday at 5 p.m. Applications must be hand delivered to the government center on Motel Boulevard.

Thus far, 14 have applied.

Commissioners will select committee members at their meeting on June 27. At the first commission meeting in July, Langford will provide commissioners with an analysis of the primary election. The committee will report its results and make recommendations to commissioners at the first meeting in September.

Here are the final Doña Ana County results certified Friday by the commission.

Democrats

Secretary of State
Mary Herrera: 1,575
Stephanie Gonzales: 1,489
Shirley Hooper: 871
Letitia Montoya: 680

State Auditor
Jeff Armijo: 2,642
Thomas Buckner: 1,720

Attorney General
Geno Zamora: 1,333
Lemuel Martinez: 782
Gary King: 2,669

Commissioner of Public Lands
Ray Powell: 2,144
Jim Baca: 2,487

PRC District 2
Stephanie Dubois: 235
Joseph Calderon: 137

PRC District 5
Sandy Jones: 2,634
E. Shirley Baca: 1,739

Magistrate Judge Division 3
Maria Rodriguez: 1,936
Olivia Garcia: 2,675

County Commission District 1
Chris Jaramillo: 411
Oscar Vasquez Butler: 712

Probate Judge
Dino Villani: 634
Alice Salcido: 2,648
Neri Frietze: 1,370

Republicans