Voters kept familiar faces Tuesday

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Incumbent mayors in Santa Fe, Rio Rancho and Los Lunas survived challenges Tuesday in municipal elections that returned numerous current officials to office.

Voters did boot two incumbent mayors from office: Roswell Mayor Sam Legrone who lost a tight race to Del Jurney, and Bernalillo Mayor Patricia Chavez who was beaten by current school board member Jack Torres.

Santa Fe Mayor David Coss received 7,451 votes, according to unofficial returns. Former City Manager Asenath Kepler tallied 4,367 while city Councilor Miguel Chavez finished with 1,031.

In Rio Rancho Mayor Tom Swisstack returned to office with 4,247 votes besting former Mayor Jim Owen favored by 1,581 voters.

A runoff election is expected to be scheduled in Rio Rancho next month after none of the four candidates for municipal judge was able to poll more than 50 percent of the total vote.

Los Lunas voters re-elected Mayor Robert Vialpando with 1,121 votes while Frank Otero received and Gene Sais 763

In Farmington oil-and-gas attorney Tommy Roberts was elected mayor by outpolling longtime Councilwoman Mary Fischer 3,913-1,501. George Harrison and Peter Hayden finished third and fourth respectively with a combined total of 203 votes.

Most cities, towns and villages in the state with the Las Cruces and Albuquerque among the exceptions held local elections Tuesday.

Unofficial election results:

Santa Fe :

Mayor

• Asenath Kepler 4,367,
• Miguel Chavez 1,031
• David Coss 7,451 incumbent

District 1 Councilor

• Doug Nava 577
• Chris Calvert 2,142 incumbent
• Russell Simon 980

District 2 Councilor

• Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Wurzburger 2,322
• Stephanie Beninate 952

District 3 Councilor

• Carmichael Dominguez 1,544 incumbent

District 4 Councilor

• Ronald S. Trujillo, 2,590 incumbent

Rio Rancho :

Mayor

• Thomas E. Swisstack 4,247 incumbent
• Jim Owen 1,581

District 2 Councilor

• Patricia A. Thomas 583 incumbent
• Federico Cardenas 276
• Paul Anthony Valles 131

District 3 Councilor

• Denny Muzzey 349
• Tamara L. Gutierrez 486 incumbent

District 5 Councilor

• Timothy C. Crum 912

Municipal Judge

• James M. Walker 2,232 incumbent
• Rodney Lawrence Gabaldón 546
• Jeff G. Hartman 1,248
• G. Robert Cook 1,318

Los Lunas

Mayor

• Frank Otero 384
• Robert Vialpando 1,121 incumbent
• Gene Sais 763

Councilman District 2

• Charles Griego 585 incumbent

Councilman District 4

• Richard Lovato 269 incumbent

Municipal Judge

• Jeff Aragón 1,486 incumbent
• Stephanie Williams 778