McKinley County voter turnout increases, but only by two percent
The official election results for McKinley County for the Nov. 2 regular election were reviewed by the McKinley County Commissioners during a special meeting on Nov. 9.
In an interview with the Sun, McKinley County’s Director of the Bureau of Elections Marlene Custer said that seven percent of the county’s population voted in the election. She noted that the number is up from previous years. She said that only about five percent voted in the 2019 election.
Custer said that despite the passions displayed by parents when the topics of how to respond to COVID or school violence or textbook content or digital concerns come up, the school board elections continue to be sparsely attended by voters year after year, even though some of the contests have no opposition. She was happy about the two percent increase in voters, but said that even with flyers and radio ads, the response remains small.
“We just need people to come out and vote,” Custer said. “Come June for primary, we are going to be hopping.”
The June 2022 election primary will have the governor, county commissioners, the sheriff and assessors on the ballot. Custer expects it to be a busy time.
She informed county commissioners that there were no changes to the Nov. 2 election results from what was originally reported on Nov. 3.
The official election results are as follows:
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 2 GALLUP/MCKINLEY COUNTY SB 2
TITUS J NEZ
28%
207 VOTES
JULIUS ELWOOD
19%
143 VOTES
CHARLES LONG
53%
396 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 746
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 4 GALLUP/MCKINLEY COUNTY SB 4
CHRISTOPHER MORTENSEN
100%
293 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 293
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 5 GALLUP/MCKINLEY COUNTY SB 5
ESTER MACIAS
40%
256 VOTES
MICHAEL W SCHAAF
60%
587 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 643
GENERAL OBLIGATION QUESTION: SHALL THE GALLUP-MCKINLEY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.1 BE AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE UP TO $6,000,000 OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF (1) ERECTING, REMODELING, MAKING ADDITIONS TO AND FURNISHING SCHOOL BUILDINGS, INCLUDING TEACHER HOUSING (2) PURCHASING OF IMPROVING SCHOOL GROUNDS (3) PURCHASING COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE FOR STUDENT USE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, (4) PROVIDING MATCHING FUNDS FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS FUNDED PURSUANT TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CAPITAL OUTLAY ACT, OR (5) ANY COMBI GALLUP/MCKINLEY COUNTY SCHOOL
YES
81%
2,122 VOTES
NO
19%
513 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 2,635
TAX LEVY QUESTION: SHALL THE GALLUP-MCKINLEY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.1 CONTINUE IMPOSE A PROPERTY TAX OF $2.00 PER EACH $1,000.00 OF NET TAXABLE VALUE OF PROPERTY ALLOCATED TO THE GALLUP-MCKINLEY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.1 FOR THE PROPERTY TAX YEARS 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 AND 2027 FOR THE PURPOSE OF (1) ERECTING, REMODELING, MAKING ADDITIONS TO, PROVIDING EQUIPMENT FOR OR FURNISHING PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS, INCLUDING TEACHER HOUSING AND PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM FACILITIES; (2) PURCHASING OR IMPROVING PU GALLUP/MCKINLEY COUNTY SCHOOL
YES
70%
1,617 VOTES
NO
30%
697 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 2,314
WATER AND SANITATION BOARD POSITION 1 GAMERCO WATER & SANITATION BOARD
KENNY CARABAJAL
100%
10 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 10
SOIL & WATER SUPERVISOR 3 MCKINLEY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
LARRY WINN
100%
1,565 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 1,565
SOIL & WATER SUPERVISOR 4 MCKINLEY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
NANCY M WADE
100%
1,607 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 1,607
WATER AND SANITATION BOARD POSITION 3 RAMAH WATER & SANITATION BOARD
ROBERT K MONTAGUE
51%
35 VOTES
WHITNEY INA RIVER
49%
34 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 69
WATER AND SANITATION BOAD POSITION 4 RAMAH WATER & SANITATION BOARD
CARRIE LORRAINE WATTS
11%
8 VOTES
SHAWNA SARAH GRASSIE
50%
35 VOTES
KATHERINE M LAMBSON
39%
27 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 70
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE POSITION 1 UNM ADVISORY BOARD AT LARGE POSITION 1
CHRISTOPHER L VIAN
100%
2,254 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 2,254
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE POSITION 2 UNM ADVISORY BOARD AT LARGE POSITION 2
RALPH A RICHARDS
100%
2,254 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 2,254
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 2 ZUNI SCHOOL BOARD
ALBERT L CHOPITO
100%
206 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 206
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 3 ZUNI SCHOOL BOARD
JEROME HASKIE
100%
153 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES: 153
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITION 5 ZUNI SCHOOL BOARD
MILDRED LEMENTINO
56%
120 VOTES
KRISSY S LEEKITY
44%
93 VOTES
TOTAL VOTES 213
By Molly Ann Howell
Sun Correspondent
