The Roundhouse in Santa Fe (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
At least four sitting lawmakers are among candidates who will have their candidacies challenged in court because they incorrectly filled out nominating petitions.
The Albuquerque Journal reported today on three of the four:
“Rep. Thomas Garcia, D-Ocate, filed Thursday in state District Court, complaining that his primary opponent, Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, failed to put his Senate District 8 number on his nominating petitions despite a state law requiring it.
“…In Silver City, Democrat Terry Fortenberry challenged the petitions of two other candidates who didn’t list their districts: his primary opponent, Democrat Guadalupe Cano, and Rep. Dianne Hamilton, the only Republican candidate in the race. Fortenberry also alleged other irregularities in their House District 38 petitions.
“And in Las Cruces, three voters challenged Republican Rep. Ricky Little of Chaparral, saying half his petition pages lacked the District 53 number and therefore he doesn’t have enough valid signatures. Little is the only GOP candidate; tossing him off the ballot would leave only Democrat Nate Cote, whom Little defeated two years ago.”
In addition, NMPolitics.net has learned, Republicans will file a challenge today to the candidacy of Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell. As the Journal reported, it won’t come from one of two Republicans seeking to unseat Jennings this year, but it will come. Any qualified voter in the district can file such a challenge.
As NMPolitics.net has reported, at least 12 candidates who filed to run in the June 5 primary failed to comply with a new law that requires that district or division numbers be listed on their nominating petitions.
Secretary of State Dianna Duran still certified their candidacies after Assistant Attorney General Tania Maestas advised her to do so. Maestas sent Duran a letter advising that, “In the absence of any evidence of fraud or bad faith, it is unlikely that a court would require strict adherence to the statutory requirements at the cost of denying a significant number of voters their constitutional right to participate in the election process.”
That left it to individuals to challenge their candidacies in court. Today is the deadline to file such challenges.
Update, 9:50 p.m.
NMPolitics.net has learned that Third Judicial District Attorney Amy Orlando, a Republican, has filed a lawsuit challenging the candidacy of her Democratic opponent, Mark D’Antonio, who left the district number off his petitions.