Official worries about poor election turnout

Voter turnout for the primary election Tuesday in Lincoln County looks "poor," County Clerk Rhonda Burrows said Thursday.

"People aren't voting around the state," she said. "We added equipment and people. I don't know what more we can do."

She asked one of her younger poll workers for ideas about attracting more voters and the suggestion was to offer food, Burrows said. At first that sounded ridiculous, but then Burrows thought, "She's probably right. If we offered doughnuts, they would come."

As of Thursday morning, 843 people had voted absentee or early in Lincoln County. That dual turnout usually reflects about 50 percent of the total for an election, Burrows said.

"We have about 10,660 eligible to vote in the primaries (for major political parties), but if we hit 1,000 for early voting, that will mean less than 25 percent overall turnout," she said.

Her office issued 275 absentee ballots and 181 have been returned. Another 681 people voted early at the two early voting sites, her office in the county courthouse in Carrizozo and the Horton Complex at 237 Service Road in Ruidoso. Those offices will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as the last opportunity to vote early. Registered voters may only participate in the primary of their declared political party.

On the Republican side, which in Lincoln County boasts about two to one the registration of Democrats, six candidates for president remain on the ballot, despite Donald Trump being the only active candidate. They are Jeb Bush, Benjamin Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich and Trump. In the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Rodham Clinton are the candidates for president.

No primary opposition faces U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican, for his reelection to the 2nd Congressional District, but he will face Democrat Merrie Lee Soules in the November general election. Republican Nora Espinoza, a former state representative, is unopposed in her primary for secretary of state, but will face off with Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver in the fall.

Republican State Sen. William Burt is running unopposed for reelection to District 33, as is Republican state representative Zach Cook from District 56.

Republican Ted Barela is unopposed in the primary for District 39 state senator. but will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the general election. Four Democrats are competing in that party's primary for the post, Mike Dale Anaya, Elizabeth Liz Stefanics, High H. Ley and Ambrose M. Castellano.

Republican Greg Nibert with no primary opposition will face Democrat Richard James Garcia, who also is unopposed, when the two run in the general election for state representative from District 59.

In contested local races, John Patrick Sugg and David L. Ceballes, who both worked as assistant district attorneys in the 12th Judicial District that covers the counties of Lincoln and Otero, are facing off for the Republican nomination for district attorney, with no Democratic candidates.

District Judge Daniel Bryant, who was appointed when former judge Karen Parsons retired, faces challenger William Chris Nedbalek in the Republican primary. No Democrat is running.

Two employees of the county assessor's office are pitted in the Republican primary for the top job of assessor, Walter Lee Hill and Yovanne J. Lucero. No Democrat is running in that race or for any of the other local races.

Incumbent Sheriff Robert Shepperd is running in the Republican primary against three contenders, former deputy and former Ruidoso police officer William M. Heineken; former deputy Rudy Saiz, and former state police officer and magistrate judge William Butts.

Incumbent probate judge Stirling T. Spencer, a Republican, has no opponent.

Republican County Commissioner Preston Stone, chairman, faces no opposition in his bid for reelection in District 1, and Commissioner Dallas Draper has no opponent in District 3.

Voting Tuesday will open at 7 a.m. and continue until 7 p.m. at six centers in the county. Registered voters can cast their ballots at any of the centers no matter in which precinct they live. The centers are at Corona Village Hall. 461 Main Street, Corona; the county courthouse at 300 Central Ave., Carrizozo; Capitan High School, 150 Forest Street, Capitan; the Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Drive, Ruidoso; the Ruidoso Downs Senior Center, 26337 U.S. 70, Ruidoso Downs; and Hondo High School, 111 Don Pablo Lane, Hondo.