Candidate guides available

Editor's note: First in a two-part series.

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — It may seem too early, but believe it or not, the election cycle has begun in New Mexico for the 2006 primary and general elections.

Candidate guides are now available at the Cibola County Clerk's office and at county clerk's offices throughout the state.

"The guide is a step-by-step handbook that tells the candidate what they have to do to run for office," says Kathy Gonzales, Cibola County Clerk chief deputy.

"The guide tells candidates how to set up their contribution accounts for those who want to donate to their campaign," Gonzales says.

"It also tell candidates the four campaign reports that are required, and the schedule of when they should be filed," she says.

The guide also tells candidates exactly how to file for office and how to get on the ballot as well as how to obtain authorized nominating petitions. Anyone running for any office must have a certain number of current, legal registered voters sign petitions, and that number changes depending on the district and office within the state.

Petitions may also be rejected, and if enough signatures are rejected by the individual clerk's offices in each county, the candidate may not be able to get on the ballot.

Candidates and their campaign staffs usually try to get many more signatures than are required to compensate for potentially rejected signatures.

The "Getting on the Ballot" and "Number of Signatures Required to Qualify" are probably the two most important sections in the guide.

Copies of the 44-page guide is available free at the clerk's office to all those who are seeking office. Those who are not seeking office will be required to pay 25 cents per page at the clerk's office.

Individuals may also download the guide for free from the New Mexico Secretary of State's Website, www.sos.state.nm.us.

The guides are available at the clerk's office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, says Eileen Martinez, Cibola County clerk.

Those individuals interested in running for an elected office may contact Martinez at (505) 285-2535 or the New Mexico Bureau of Elections in the Secretary of State's office at (505) 827-3260 or toll free 1-800-477-3632.