Emerson won't seek re-election; ballot positions selected

Cibola County Sheriff candidate Johnny Valdez shows the number he drew to determine his placement on the June ballot to County Clerk Eileen Martinez Tuesday at her office. Candidates for the June election registered and drew numbers for their placement on the ballot at the County Clerks Office in Grants. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent]

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — After one term in office as a Cibola County Commissioner Frank Emerson said he is not running for re-election.

"It's time to let some new blood on the commission," he said.

His comments were made just before 5 p.m. Tuesday as two candidates were making last minute filings in the Cibola County Clerk's office.

Tuesday was filing day for the June 6 primary election and 17 area residents filed for six county offices (Please see related story).

"I like being a commissioner, but I didn't like going to the extra board meetings," Emerson said.

"I retired as a magistrate judge and came out of retirement to be on the commission," he said.

There are a large number of other board meetings besides the commission meetings, like the water board, the illegal dumping board, the family center board and the hospital board.

"I just don't want to go to all those extra board meetings. I want to do other things. And, the county is doing well now," he said.

Ralph McQueary, a former Valencia County manager and two term Cibola County commissioner filed in District 3, which is Emerson's district.

"I decided my district and the county needed more help because I have the experience," he said.

"I think I can help the county."

Following the selection of the ballot positions for candidates, William Hocker, a candidate in District 1, Commissioner Fred Scott's district, said he brings a wealth of experience in both the public and private sector to the commission if elected. Scott has termed out and cannot run for re-election.

"I have been asked by a lot of people on the east side of the county to run," he said.

With that experience, he said he can make a difference in helping lead the county for the next four years.

In the commission's board room at the county complex, 515 W. High St., County Clerk Eileen Martinez and county Elections Coordinator George Trujillo, brought a glass bowl with the locking top, and blue paper taped around the outside of the bowel to the room with the numbers one through five printed on them.

Since the Cibola County Sheriff's race has five candidates, she allowed candidates who were there to place their hand in the bowl and pick out one of the numbers.

Those that were not there were represented by Emerson who picked their positions for them.

The sole Republican filing a candidacy is Dr. Nick Augustine, a local family practice physician in Grants. He filed for Emerson's district as well.

The candidates for county commission and county tax assessor and their positions on the June 6 primary ballot are listed below.

District 1
William Hocker
Edward Hocker

District 3 — Democrats
Lawrence Sanchez
Antonio Gallegos
Ralph McQueary

District 3 — Republican
Dr. Nick Augustine

Assessor
Pablo Savedra
Pauline Chavez

"For my first time this went very well," Trujillo said. This will be Trujillo's first statewide and countywide election as elections coordinator for the county

"It went very smoothly and efficiently. This is going to be an interesting primary," Martinez said.

The entire ballot selection process took 31 minutes.

Following the selections, the clerk's office sent them to the Secretary of State's office as well as to "Elections Products," a Los Lunas company that programs the cartridges for the electronic voting machines.

Gov. Bill Richardson recently signed into law a bill making paper ballot voting machines to be used statewide, but those will not be available and used until the general election.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com