With provisional ballots out, one Gadsden race still too close to call, but all other races are over

Absentee ballots have been counted, but one race in the Gadsden Independent School District could be decided by provisional ballots.

In Gadsden District 2, incumbent Jennifer Viramontes has 167 votes, or 50.5 percent, to challenger Rodolfo Franco’s 164 votes, or 49.5 percent. Doña Ana County Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins said there are 21 provisional ballots left to be counted in this race, so it is too close to call and will remain that way for a couple of days.

Provisionals will be counted when the county begins the canvass of the election at 9 a.m. Thursday, Ellins said.

There was another close one in the Gadsden district that has been resolved.

In Gadsden District 5, challenger Craig Ford defeated incumbent Charles Gonnell. Ford finished with 78 votes, or 43.1 percent, to Gonnell’s 71 votes, or 39.2 percent. Another challenger, Robert Zinsmaster, finished with 32 votes, or 17.7 percent.

With five provision ballots in this district, Gonnell wouldn’t win even if all were counted and went his way.

In Gadsden District 1, Luz Vargas-Troncoso made up a lot of ground with absentee ballots, but still lost. She had 228 votes, or 44 percent, to incumbent Manuela Huerta’s 290 votes, or 56 percent. There are 34 provisional ballots – not enough to make a difference, even if they were all counted and went to Vargas.

In Gadsden District 4, incumbent Daniel Castillo won with 119 votes, or 62 percent, to Elva Flores’ 74 votes, or 38 percent. There are two provisional ballots.

In Las Cruces and Hatch, there aren’t enough provisional ballots to make a difference in any race, Ellins said.