New Mexicans go to the polls June 7 for the primary election and to decide several local offices. Polling sites will be open from 7 am to 7 pm (see list of McKinley County sites below).
As a practical matter, most McKinley County races will be settled with next week’s election because all of the candidates are from one party. Winners will not be sworn in until Jan. 1, 2023, and their names will still appear on the November ballot, but as unopposed candidates.
County Races
County Sheriff candidates include one Republican, Elreno C. Henio of Thoreau; and four Democrats: Matthew K. Hughbanks, Francie L. Martinez, Paul R. Lucero and current undersheriff James Maiorano III, all of Gallup.
Most have backgrounds in local law enforcement and many in multiple agencies. All have lived locally for many years, and some have family ties to the Gallup area going back generations.
The biggest challenge facing the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department is recruiting, training and retaining personnel. Candidates have also cited recent legalization of recreational marijuana use as a community concern.
Two of three seats on the county commission, the policy-setting body for the county, are up for grabs. Among other things, the commission has been grappling with the fate of the county’s lease to Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services.
All of the contenders are Democrats. For Billy Moore’s District 1 seat, candidates are: Young J. Tom and Vincent Muskett, both of Gallup; and Ernest C. Becenti III, of Church Rock.
The sole candidate for Genevieve Jackson’s District 2 seat is Walt Eddy of Gallup, also a Democrat.
Jackson is in a six-way brawl for County Assessor, with all contenders being Democrats. The others are Danielle Notah of Tohatchi; Edward Becenti Jr. and Paulinda L. Yazzie of Church Rock; and Anthony N. Begay and Harriett K. Becenti of Gallup. The Assessor oversees property in the county, including mapping, inventory and valuation for tax purposes.
Three county Magistrate Court seats and one on the Probate Court are also on the ballot, though only the District 1 seat is a contest. Candidates are Hermion M. Chaves and Brent A. Detsoi.
Statewide offices on the primary ballot include Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer and Auditor.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez is facing Republican challenger Alexis Martinez Johnson for her District 3 seat in the House of Representatives.
The General election will be held Nov. 8.
MCKINLEY COUNTY POLLING SITES
Early voting has been open since May 10 and will close June 4. Four of McKinley County’s six early/alternative locations will be open on June 3 in the evening and on June 4: sites at the Rio West Mall in Gallup and the Thoreau Fire Station will be open noon to 8 pm June 3 and 10 am to 6 pm June 4; the Zuni Tribal Building and Crownpoint Election offices will be open 9 am to 5 pm both days. Twinlakes and Manuelito chapter house sites will be open 9 am to 5 pm June 3.
Any registered McKinley County voter may vote June 7 at any of the sites listed below:
Red Lake Chapter House, Shepard Spring Rd., Navajo
Navajo Estates Fire Station, 19 C Sunset Valley Rd., Yah-ta-hey
Hilltop Christian School, 2 A Deerfield, Tse Bonito
Mexican Springs Chapter House , 18 miles north on 491, Mexican Springs
Tohatchi Elementary School, 100 Chuska Rd., Tohatchi
Twin Lakes Elementary School, N. Hwy. 491 Twin Lakes
Coyote Canyon Chapter House, 9 miles East of Hwy. 491, Navajo Rt. 9 on Mile Marker 9, Brimhall
Standing Rock Chapter House, 28 miles east of Crownpoint, NM Route 9
Whitehorse Lake Chapter House, 28 miles east of Crownpoint
Ojo Encino Chapter House, Star Lake Road, Ojo Encino
Baca Chapter House, State Hwy 122, Prewitt
Smith Lake Chapter House, 1299 Hwy 371, Smith Lake
Fort Wingate Fire Station , 290 McGaffey Lake Road, Fort Wingate
Catherine A. Miller Elementary School, Challenger Road, Churchrock
Rock Springs Chapter House, E Rock Spring Rd., Yahtahey
Manuelito Chapter House, 26 Hunters Point Rd., Manuelito
Pinedale Chapter House , 523 Hwy N 11-49 Churchrock
Breadsprings Chapter House, B017-001 Rodeo Rd., Breadsprings
David Skeet Elementary School, Route 45 Jones Ranch Rd., Vanderwagen
Ramah Fire Station, #4 Tietjen Ave., Ramah
Mariano Lake Administrative Building, 237A Mariano Lake Loop Dr,. Mariano Lake
Whispering Cedars Fire Station, 2111 A Suite 21A Iyanbito Rd., Fort Wingate
Iyanbito Chapter House, 2111 A Suite 21A Iyanbito Rd., Fort Wingate
Tsayatoh Multi-Complex Building, West TseYaToh Rd., TseYaToh
Becenti Chapter House, SR 7009 & NM 371, Crownpoint
Dalton Pass (Nahodishgish) Chapter House, West Navajo Rt. 9, Crownpoint
Casamero Lake Chapter House, 1037A Count Rd. 19, Prewitt
Gallup Southside Fire Station, 1800 S Second St., Gallup
Gallup Northside Fire Station, 911 W Lincoln Ave., Gallup
Gallup Eastside Fire Station, 3700 Church Rock St., Gallup
Gallup Westside Fire Station, 707 Rico St., Gallup
County Courthouse Rotunda, 207 W. Hill Ave., Room 100, Gallup
Rio West Mall, 1300 W Maloney Ave., Gallup
UNM Gallup Branch Gym, 705 Gurley Ave., Gallup
Larry Brian Mitchell Rec, Marguerite Franco Dr., Gallup
Zuni Tribal Building, 1202 B State Hwy 53, Zuni
Zuni Blackrock Fire Station 04, Third Street, Zuni
Red Rock Chapter House, 79 Refuge Rock Rd. #A, Gallup
Thoreau Fire Station, 109 Hwy 371 Thoreau
Crownpoint Election Office, Intersection of Hwy 9 and Chaco Blvd., Crownpoint
By Holly J. Wagner
Sun Correspondent