Officials in the state treasurer’s office were apparently caught off guard when asked by the Associated Press this week when newly elected Treasurer James Lewis would take office.
The answer now seems to be that it will happen soon.
The New Mexico Constitution calls for appointees, such as current treasurer Doug Brown, to serve “until the next general election, when his successor shall be chosen for the unexpired term.”
That apparently should mean the new treasurer takes office as soon as a certificate of election is issued by the canvassing board on or shortly after Dec. 8 and he is sworn in, instead of on Jan. 1 like the other winners of the Nov. 7 general election.
But Brown and his office staff, and Lewis, weren’t prepared for that. A spokeswoman for the office said neither treasurer knew about the constitutional provision, so they had not been preparing an early transition.
That transition is now in the works.
While we’re on the subject of state treasurers, former Treasurer Robert Vigil, who Brown replaced, will be in court today to appeal his conviction on one felony count of attempted extortion, according to KOAT-TV in