Mayor Bill Mattiace announced this evening that he will challenge the results of Tuesday’s Las Cruces municipal election, which had him narrowly losing to District 6 Councilor Ken Miyagishima, and that he will sue a number of people for defamation related to election campaigning.
Meanwhile, the city council voted at this evening’s meeting to certify the election results. That included adding to the previously released totals another six ballots that were all cast for Miyagishima and increased his margin of victory to 80 votes out of 11,424. He finished with 5,751 votes, or 50.3 percent, to Mattiace’s 5,671 votes, or 49.7 percent.
The six ballots that were added to the count came from people who requested absentee ballots but later signed sworn statements that they never received them. They were allowed to submit the new ballots on Election Day, but it was up to councilors to decide whether to accept those ballots, and they did.
Mattiace said he doesn’t expect the results of the election to change, but he has 30 days to challenge the results and will do so to protect the Democratic process and represent those who voted for him. His challenge only applies to the mayoral race.
“I don’t want to sound like sour grapes, but it’s very close,” he said at the meeting. “… I think the outcome will probably be the same. … I think my opponent will be happy to know that there’s no shadows, there’s no rumor, there’s no innuendos.”
Mattiace pointed out that he won most polling places, but Miyagishima had many more early and absentee votes. He plans to ask that each absentee ballot be verified.
It was Mattiace who asked, at the meeting, that the six ballots be added to the count, even though he knew they would increase Miyagishima’s margin of victory.
“I believe that the more people who have access to vote, the better,” Mattiace said.
He voted to accept the ballots, while Miyagishima abstained. Miyagishima voted to certify the election results, while only Mattiace voted against doing that.
Mattiace also said he plans to bring the lawsuits once he becomes a private citizen on Nov. 20, the day after he leaves office. Mattiace didn’t say who he would sue or share many details about why, but he did say the campaign against him included lies.
Mattiace said he will announce more details at a later date.
“Boy, do I have a lot to share,” he said.