Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Quay County Clerk Ellen White helps Tommy Snapp file his candidacy paperwork for Tucumcari City Commission's District 1 position. Snapp was the first in line last Tuesday on filing day for local election races. Behind him are City Commission District 1 candidate Jerry Lopez and District 2 Commissioner Paul Villanueva.
Two incumbent Tucumcari city commissioners will face challengers in the Nov. 7 election, including the mayor.
Mayor Ralph Moya, who represents District 1, will face three opponents. That includes Tommy Snapp, first in line when the candidate-filing window for area races opened at 9 a.m. last Tuesday, and current Tucumcari school board member Jerry Lopez, the second person to file that morning.
The third candidate to file to run against Moya was Maria Carmen Gonzales.
District 1 generally encompasses the city's north side.
In District 2, incumbent Paul Villanueva will face challenger Jonathan Brito.
District 2 encompasses the city's northeast side.
The only candidate to file for the city's vacant District 3 seat was Barton "CJ" Oglesby.
Barring a write-in candidate, Oglesby will fill the empty seat created by the resignation of then-mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield in December. District 3 encompasses the city's southwest side.
All of the city commission seats will be for four-year terms.
Tucumcari Municipal Judge Jerry Mares filed for re-election and likely will be unopposed to fill a two-year term.
Meanwhile, current Tucumcari school board members who were up election will be unopposed - District 1's Matthew Pacheco, District 4's Heather Gonzales and District 5's Jehu "J.D." Luera-Knapp. All are four-year terms.
Two incumbent members of the Mesalands Community College board of trustees also are unopposed - District 1's Richard Primrose and District 5's Phillip Box. Both are for four-year terms.
In the Village of Logan, current board member Barry Bass is unopposed in his candidacy for mayor to fill the seat of David Babb, who did not run. Incumbent Wesley Cox filed for re-election.
Candidates to fill two seats on the Logan village board are Deanna Osborn, Kerry Cross and TJ Smith. Smith initially filed for mayor but dropped out later in the filing day to run for a board seat.
For Logan school board, incumbents Kene Terry, Tom Humble and Laurie Strebeck filed for re-election, and Cole Wallin filed to fill a fourth open seat, making all those candidates essentially unopposed. Kyle Perez, a current board member, did not run.
In the Village of San Jon, current mayor Billie Jo Barnes is unopposed for re-election.
Incumbent San Jon trustees Rodney Stoner and Justin Tucker filed to run again. New candidates are Caryn Grzegorek and Gilbert Donovan II. All essentially are unopposed for the four seats.
For the San Jon school board, incumbents Brian Watson and Dale Bone filed for re-election. A new candidate is Eddie Behrends. They will be vying for two open seats.
The House school board will see three new members after the November election. Current board members William Noland, William Runyan and Phillip Runyan each did not run for re-election. Those who filed for the three positions are Wendy Grigsby, Kerri Hestand, Lisa Downey and Carl Palmer.
In the Village of House, incumbents Heather Wooldridge, Danny Joe Dodd, Steven Foust and Rodger Grisby all are unopposed for re-election.
Quay County Clerk Ellen White said Wednesday afternoon she verified that all the local candidates who filed last week were qualified to be on the ballot.
Write-in candidates can file for the November election on Sept. 5, which is the same day previously filed candidates can withdraw from their respective races.
Early voting will begin at the Quay County Clerk's Office oil Oct. 10 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting will continue from Monday through Thursday until the week of the Nov. 7 election.
