Now that the Nov. 7 general election has become the most successful operation run by
Ellins said he hasn’t yet made a decision.
“I’m hired here until approximately the middle of January, when all possible chances of appeal have expired,” Ellins said. “I’ll make a decision before then.”
Ellins said he will spend the next few months helping further implement the recommendations of the county’s task force on elections.
Clerk Rita Torres hired Ellins after firing former Elections Supervisor Mari Langford in June. At the time, Ellins was co-chair of the county’s elections task force.
Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed gratitude for the manner in which Ellins and his staff ran the general election. The elections bureau had all work, including the final tallying of provisional ballots, completed Saturday night, five days after the election.
That’s unheard of around here.
While we’re on the subject of kudos for a job well done, I want to thank State Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, for working tirelessly to convince her peers to switch to paper ballots. She was one of the first in the state to jump on board with the idea, and stayed up into the early hours of one night during the legislative session arguing with Republicans who tried to kill the proposal.
Despite offers from other Democrats to relieve her as she fought the filibuster attempt, Garcia insisted on responding to hours of questions and debate herself. It paid off.
Others take credit for this initiative, which has proven a good change in