Lea counts 39 seats on Local Election ballots
Curtis C. Wynne/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — Voters throughout Lea County will fill a total of 39 seats in the 2023 local elections, announced Carrie Sandoval, Bureau of Elections administrator.
To get their names on the Nov. 7 ballots, individuals must file their candidacy in the County Clerk’s Office in the Lea County Courthouse in Lovington between 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Aug. 29.
“This will be the only location for a candidate to file for office,” Sandoval said.
All local government entities in the county except the municipal administrations of Hobbs and Lovington will have seats to fill.
Sandoval explained, ““Hobbs and Lovington both extended their terms, so they won’t have anyone on the ballot until 2025.”
Wording of ballot questions such as mill levies and bond issues also must be submitted by the government entities to the County Clerk’s office by Aug. 29.
Establishing the local election in November of odd-numbered years, the New Mexico Legislature offered municipalities the choice of opting in or keeping the traditional March elections.
Officials in Hobbs, Lovington and Jal initially chose to opt out, but re-evaluated that choice after finding the cost and administrative burden of managing their own elections untenable.
Sandoval provided the following list of offices to be on the November 2023 ballots, depending on residence of the voter:
• Town of Tatum – Two city councilors for four-year terms and one city councilor for a two-year term, all elected at large
• City of Jal – Municipal judge, three city councilors for four-year terms and one city councilor for a two-year term, all elected at large
• City of Eunice – Four city councilors for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Eunice Public Schools – Three school board members for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Hobbs Municipal Schools – Three school board members for four-year terms, to be elected to represent Districts 2, 3 and 4
• Jal Public Schools – Three school board members for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Lovington Municipal Schools – Three school board members for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Tatum Municipal Schools – Three school board members for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Jal Hospital District – Three trustee positions for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Eunice Hospital District – Three trustee positions for four-year terms, all elected at large
• Nor-Lea Hospital District – Two trustee positions for four-year terms, to be elected from Districts 1 and 2
• New Mexico Junior College – One board member for a six-year term, to be elected from District 4
Lea Soil & Water Conservation District – Three board supervisor positions for four-year terms, all elected at large.
In addition, Sandoval said some ballot questions already have been proposed, but more likely will be coming in by the Aug. 29 deadline.
• The Tatum School District has proposed two questions: a general obligation bond for $4.5 million and two-mill tax levy (two dollars in tax for every $1,000 of taxable property valuation)
• The Lovington Municipal School District proposes a two-mill tax levy.
• Nor-Lea Hospital District proposes a 2.5-mill tax levy.
