Curry County clerk: 'We have a problem' (NM)
Clovis News Journal Staff 04 June 2008
Hold off on those victory parties.
Curry County officials said this morning theyre unsure of vote numbers tabulated after the polls closed in Tuesdays primary election.
At this point were not aware if (results will change), but the potential is certainly there because we have some races that are too close, County Clerk Coni Jo Lyman said.
We know we have a problem in the (computer) software, we dont know exactly what it is, we dont trust our numbers. Were not 100 percent comfortable with the numbers that are in the system. We dont think that they are significantly off but we do think there are some differences.
Officials were continuing to try and verify votes this morning after a software glitch delayed results Tuesday night.
Lyman said a software technician traveled to Clovis on Wednesday morning to assist with the verification and will be taking the device that reads voting machine memory cards back to the company for evaluation, she said.
Meanwhile, Lyman said personnel are comparing each tape of vote numbers to posted database results. Some of the contested positions could be affected by the recheck, she said.
They hope to have a more solid picture by mid-day, she said.
In one of the closest local races, Republican District 2 County Commission candidate Dan Stoddard said he went to bed Wednesday morning with the understanding he had taken the spot with a seven-vote edge over Alan Sumrall.
Wednesday morning, Stoddard admitted he was surprised to learn the votes were being re-verified.
Im feeling very confident. Its been close, its been a great race, we both worked hard, he said.
Im definitely anxious, unfortunately it just happens to be the way its going for our race. Hopefully they can get it settled before the general election.
In other races, according to vote totals announced early Wednesday morning:
Seth Martin had 22 votes more than Lisa Dunagan in the Republican District 4 Commission race;
Caleb Chandler had 343 votes more than Charles Guthals in the Republican District 5 Commission race;
and Wendell Bostwick had 18 votes more than Gloria Wicker in the Democratic District 4 Commission race.
Even results finalized today are still unofficial, Lyman said, explaining the officials results are not stamped by the governor for up to 40 days from the election.
The software used in Tuesdays election and mandated by the state has only been used one other time, in the 2006 general election, Lyman said.
Voting results were delayed then also, with officials citing software issues and statewide server crashes on election night.
In the 2006 election, county officials reverted to a previously used software version to verify results before they were confident enough to declare the final tallies, according to CNJ archives.
It takes time and I know that people get frustrated but in the years Ive worked here, weve been here later than 2:30 (a.m.) a time or two. All I can say is Im sorry, Lyman said.
Lyman said candidates have been contacting her office and are anxious to know the final results. A candidate herself, she said she understands their desire to know the outcome.
They want to know and were doing the best we can. Were doing everything humanly possible. Life in the election industry is tough, especially when we have gotten our society dependent on Internet technology and software, she said.
Curry County election results (final, unofficial results as of 1:24 a.m.)
U.S. President
Republican
John McCain, 2,695, 92.52%
Ron Paul, 218, 7.48%
U.S. Senate
Democrat
Tom Udall, 1,542, 100.0%
Republican
Steve Pearce, 1,715, 58.51%
Heather A. Wilson, 1,216, 41.49%
U.S. Representative
District 3
Democrat
Donald H. Wiviott, 801, 46.25%
Ben R. Lujan, 538, 31.06%
Jon Adams, 165, 9.53%
Harry B. Montoya, 114, 6.58%
Rudy Martin, 73, 4.21%
Benny J. Shendo Jr., 41, 2.37%
Republican
Daniel K. East, 1,851, 68.99%
Marco E. Gonzales, 832, 31.01%
Justice of the Supreme Court
Democrat
Charles W. Daniels, 1, 376, 100%
State Senate
District 7
Democrat
Thomas Jeffrey Carr, 469, 100%
Republican
Clinton D. Harden Jr., 1,340, 100%
District 27
Republican
Stuart Ingle, 887, 100%
District 42
Republican
Gay G. Kernan, 372, 100%
State Representative
District 63
Democrat
Jose A. Campos II, 366, 100%
Republican
Matthew D. Rush, 341, 100%
District 64
Democrat
Mario Trujillo, 913, 100%
Republican
Anna M. Crook, 1,951, 100%
District 67
Democrat
Craig L. Cosner, 102, 58.96%
Van Robertson, 71, 41.04%
Republican
Dennis J. Roch, 295, 100%
Ninth Judicial District Judge
Division 2
Democrat
Drew D. Tatum, 1,425, 100%
Ninth Judicial District Attorney
Republican
Matthew E. Chandler, 2,630, 100%
Public Education Commission
District 9
Democrat
Carolyn Kennedy Shearman, 1,363, 100%
County Commission
District 2
Democrat
Charles Benny Adams, 415, 100%
Republican
Daniel J. Stoddard, 436, 50.4%
Alan Glen Sumrall, 429, 49.6%
District 4
Democrat
Wendell Bostwick, 173, 52.47%
Gloria P. Wicker, 155, 47.26%
Republican
Seth H. Martin, 191, 53.06%
Lisa K. Dunagan, 169, 46.94%
District 5
Democrat
Paul D. Barnes, 396, 100%
Republican
Caleb J. Chandler, 763, 65.5%
Charles H. Guthals, 420, 35.5%
County Clerk
Democrat
Cindy A. McDaniel, 1,424, 100%
Republican
Coni Jo Lyman, 2,663, 100%
County Treasurer
Democrat
Kathrynn A. Tate, 1,498, 100%
Republican
Bernice Baker, 2,424, 100%
Roosevelt County election results
Unofficial final
U.S. President
Republican
John McCain, 1,127
Ron Paul, 148
U.S. Senate
Democrat
Tom Udall, 602,
Republican
Steve Pearce, 684
Heather A. Wilson, 602
U.S. Representative
District 3
Democrat
Donald H. Wiviott, 380
Ben R. Lujan, 158
Jon Adams, 57
Harry B. Montoya, 46
Rudy Martin, 22
Benny J. Shendo Jr., 13
Republican
Daniel K. East, 842
Marco E. Gonzales, 335
State Senator
District 27
Republican
Stuart Ingle, 821
District 42
Republican
Gay G. Kernan, 336
State Representative
District 63
Democrat
Jose A. Campos II, 105
Republican
Matthew D. Rush, 129
District 66
Republican
Keith Gardner, 605
District 67
Democrat
Van Robertson, 87
Craig L. Cosner, 108
Republican
Dennis J. Roch, 355
Justice of the Supreme Court
Democrat
Charles W. Daniels, 539
District Judge
Democrat
Drew Tatum, 562
District Attorney
Republican
Matthew E. Chandler, 1,117
Probate Judge
Democrat
Mark B. Paternoster, 532
Republican
Barbara A. George, 666
C. Laverne Standifer, 362
Mitchell C. Morgan, 250
Public Education Commission
Democrat
Carolyn Kennedy Shearman, 537
County Commissioner
District 1*
Democrat
Jake J. Lopez, 101
District 2*
Republican
David C. Sanders, 250
Richard Leal, 168
County Treasurer
Republican
Mickie M. Williams, 1,076
County Clerk
Democrat
E. Janet Collins, 633
De Baca County election results
Unofficial Final
Precincts 1,2,3,4
U.S. President
Republican
John McCain, 186
Ron Paul, 30
U.S. Senate
Democrat
Tom Udall, 338
Republican
Steve Pearce, 180
Heather Wilson, 38
U.S. Representative District 2
Democrat
Bill McCanley 157
Harry Teague 233
Republican
Aubrey Dunn, 59
C. Earl Greer, 18
Edward Tinsley, 69
Monty Newman, 50
Greg Sowards, 8
Justice of the Supreme Court
Democrat
Charles Daniels, 265
State Sentaor District 27
Republican
Stuart Ingle, 191
Sate Representative District 63
Democrat
Jose A. Campos II, 397
Republican
Matthew Rush, 182
District Judge Divison 1
Democrat
Donald C. Shuette, 288
Republican
Albert Mitchell, 175
District Attorney 10th Judicial District
Democrat
Ronald Reeves, 290
Public Education Departman Commission
Republican
Vince Bergman, 170
County Commissioner District 3
Democrat
George Gonzales, 407
Republican
Jerry Crab, 67
Jack Mullins, 104
Jeaneta Staats, 28
County Clerk
Democrat
Pauline Finney, 289
Republican
Laurie Pettigrew, 190
County Treasurer
Republican
Wanda White, 72
Randy Ballard, 143
County Sheriff
Democrat
John Marez, 56
Dennis Cleaver, 264
Kurt Griego, 128
Republican
Paul Fishell, 172
Precinct 3 and 4 only
Public Regulation Commission District 3
Democrat
Bruce Phrone, 27
Jerome D. Block , 23
Joseph Maestas, 18
Louis Gallegos, 60
Paul Campos, 63
Arthur Rodarte, 7
