Voters in four Torrance County municipalities chose mayors Tuesday, with Peter Nieto decisively on top in the Mountainair mayoral race and Runnel Lee Riley narrowly leading incumbent Nathan Dial in Estancia, according to unofficial results as of 10 p.m. Election Night.
Nieto had captured 66% of the vote in Mountainair with 218 votes to Ernesto Lopez Jr.’s 113, while Riley was edging out Dial 68 to 63 in Estancia, with write-in votes yet to be counted for Boyd Vardy. The race was in recount territory earlier in the evening.
In Willard, Edward Steven Redondo Jr. ran unopposed for mayor, receiving all 45 votes cast. Elias Sanchez was the sole candidate for mayor in Encino, garnering 19 votes.
School bond measures were close to being passed in two districts, with Mountainair Public Schools’ $4 million general obligation bond being approved by 66% of voters. The measure, which received 252 yes votes to 129 no votes, will fund school building construction, remodeling and technology purchases.
The Moriarty-Edgewood School District’s $20 million bond question passed with 75% approval, receiving 740 yes votes to 249 no votes across the district’s Torrance County precincts.
Voters also approved capital improvements tax measures in three school districts. The Estancia Municipal School District’s $2 per $1,000 property tax passed with 61% support, as did the Moriarty-Edgewood district’s tax continuation at the same rate. Mountainair’s capital improvements tax question passed 60% to 40%.
The Corona School District’s $2.5 million bond question narrowly passed with 59% support, receiving 10 yes votes to seven no votes, though only seven of the district’s precincts had fully reported. However, the district’s capital improvements tax measure failed 9 to 8.
In municipal races, Roberta Chavez looks to have won a Village of Willard council seat with 74% of the vote, defeating David Dean. In Mountainair, Jose “Richard” Torres and Dustin Kayser were in a close race for city council with 198 and 197 votes, respectively.
Kenneth Snow had 30% of the vote in a four-way race for the Moriarty city council. Snow received 141 votes, followed by Robin Spalding with 122, Robert (Bobby) Ortiz with 118 and Maggie Gipson with 96.
Albert Lovato looks to have won an Estancia council seat with 43% support, receiving 103 votes in a three-candidate race.
Bruce Dile was ahead in the Estancia municipal judge race with 84% of the vote, over Irena Dial, 161 to 31. Bobby Garcia ran unopposed for Moriarty municipal judge, receiving 224 votes.
In soil and water conservation district races, Jim Berlier had 48% of the vote for the East Torrance district seat, receiving 429 votes. Danielle Johnston captured 65% in the Central Tri-County district race with 392 votes, while David Cain was up in the Claunch Pinto district with 57% support.
