Running for public office in San Juan County? File for the June primary by March 12

Mike Easterling, Farmington Daily Times
·3 min read

Campaign season in San Juan County kicks off next week as candidates who plan on running in the June primary election will need to file for office on Tuesday, March 12.

Candidates will need to visit the San Juan County clerk’s office in the County Administration Building, 100 S. Oliver Drive in Aztec, to file between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. that day. The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4.

Nearly two dozen offices will be open across the county, including a number of legislative positions.

Candidates can file for the state Senate in districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 22, and the state House of Representatives in districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 65 and 69. They can file for the District 10 seat on the New Mexico Public Education Commission, the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the 11th Judicial District judgeship. They also can file to fun for San Juan County clerk, treasurer and county commissioner in districts 3, 4 and 5.

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The filings for the District 2 state Senate seat are likely to draw a significant amount of attention, as the incumbent, Republican Steve Neville, has announced he is retiring and is not seeking re-election. That leaves the seat open. The district covers much of the northeast corner of San Juan County.

Candidates who wish to file to run in the June primary election will need to file at the San Juan County clerk's office in Aztec on Tuesday, March 12.
Candidates who wish to file to run in the June primary election will need to file at the San Juan County clerk's office in Aztec on Tuesday, March 12.

According to information provided on the website for the County Clerk’s Office, all candidates for office must be prepared to register online for the state’s campaign finance system when they file. Candidates for the state Senate and the state House of Representatives must file an online financial disclosure statement.

The website for New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver offers a number of tips for those unfamiliar with the filing process. It states that political hopefuls must file a declaration of candidacy, which is to be completed before they arrive, and a candidate campaign committee registration form.

More: Longtime San Juan County lawmaker Steve Neville will not seek re-election

Candidates for some offices will need to file nominating petitions and or financial disclosure statements, while anyone filing on behalf of a candidate will need to present an affidavit of designee for filing, according to the SOS Office’s website.

All the forms required for filing day are available via the website at sos.nm.gov.

Write-in candidates are permitted for the primary election only for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state Senate, the state House of Representatives, district court judge, district attorney, public education commissioner and magistrate judge, according to the SOS website.

Candidates are advised not to wait until the last minute to file. Anyone who tries to file after 5 p.m. Tuesday will have their application rejected.

The general election in New Mexico will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

For more information about filing for office, call the County Clerk’s Office at 505-334-9471.

Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: San Juan County candidates should file by March 12 at clerk's office