Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Southwest Regional State Executive Officials
November 2, 2012
- See also: Arizona state executive official elections, 2012
- See also: New Mexico state executive official elections, 2012
MADISON, Wisconsin: It's an off-year for gubernatorial elections in the southwestern United States, which means the region is focusing on its down-ballot races for state executive offices. Voters in Arizona and New Mexico will see various seats on their ballot when they hit the polls next Tuesday.
Arizona
Arizona Corporation Commissioner
Three state executive positions Three are up for election this year in the state of Arizona.
- Arizona Corporation Commission (3 officers)
| Candidates for Corporation Commissioner |
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Paul Newman: Incumbent- Sandra Kennedy: Incumbent
- Marcia Busching
Bob Stump: Incumbent- Robert Burns
- Susan Bitter Smith
Christopher Gohl
Daniel Pout- Thomas Meadows
Voters will make their choice for three Corporation Commissioners on November 6th.
Incumbents Paul Newman (D), Sandra Kennedy (D), and Bob Stump (R) are all seeking re-election. Three Democratic and three Republican candidates all ran unopposed in the primary elections, advancing to the general election.
Incumbents Newman, Kennedy, and Stump have been serving on the commission since 2009.
In addition to the six major party candidates running for the three seats, Libertarian candidate Christopher Gohl and Green Party candidates Daniel Pout and Thomas Meadows are also challenging the incumbents and major party challengers in the general election.
In Arizona, all polling places are open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Mountain Time.[1]
New Mexico
Seven state executive positions are up for election in 2012 in the state of New Mexico:
- New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (2 officers)
- New Mexico Public Education Commission (5 seats)
The primary was held on June 5, 2012 with the general election on November 6, 2012.
In New Mexico, all polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Mountain Time on Election Day.[2]
Public Regulation Commission (2 seats)
| Candidates for Public Regulation Commission |
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A new map of PRC districts was approved by District Court Judge James Hall on January 18, 2012. The plan kept most of the geographical divisions from the previous map, leading Brian Sanderoff, a redistricting consultant, to refer to it as a "status quo oriented plan." The plan ended up in court after Gov. Susana Martinez (R) vetoed the initial proposed plan from the Legislature. The court approved plan creates a solidly Republican 2nd District, Democratic leaning 1st, 3rd and 4th Districts, while the 5th continues to be a swing district.[3]
PRC District 1
- Karen Montoya (D)
- Christopher Ocksrider (R)
Democratic incumbent Jason Marks has held the 1st District seat since 2005 and was unable to seek re-election due to term limits.
Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya defeated PRC staff attorney Cynthia Hall and state Rep. Al Park in the June 5 Democratic primary. Republican Christopher Ocksrider was unopposed.[4]
PRC District 3
- Valerie Espinoza (D)
Incumbent Douglas J. Howe (I) was appointed to District 3 by Governor Susana Martinez on November 7, 2011 to replace Jerome Block who resigned after pleading guilty to two felonies - credit card fraud and identity theft of another agency employee.[5] Howe did not seek election to a full term in 2012.[6]
In a four-way battle Valerie Espinoza won the Democratic nomination on June 5, 2012. Since no Republicans filed for the seat Ezpinoza will have no major party opposition in the general election.[4]
Public Education Commission (5 seats)
| Candidates for Corporation Commissioner |
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Five seats are up on the Public Education Commission: Districts 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10. None are contested. Three incumbents - Vince N. Bergman (R-8), Carolyn Kennedy Shearman (D-9), and Jeff Carr (D-10) are running for re-election in 2012. District 3 incumbent Michael Canfield decided to not seek re-election this year, and Democrat Carmie Lynn Toulouse is running unopposed for his seat. The vacant District 5 seat on the Public Education Commission is currently vacant, and James F. Conyers (D) will ease into the position with no general election contest. The primaries took place on June 5, 2012, and the general election took place November 6.
District 3
Incumbent Michael Canfield did not seek re-election.
District 5
James F. Conyers (D)
The District 5 seat is currently vacant.
District 8
Vince N. Bergman (R) Incumbent
District 9
Carolyn Kennedy Shearman (D) Incumbent
District 10
Jeff Carr (D) Incumbent
See also
- Ballotpedia's 2012 Regional Ballot Measure Breakdown Series: Southwest region
- Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Arizona State Legislature
- Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Arizona Congressional Seats
- Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: New Mexico State Legislature
- Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: New Mexico Congressional Seats
- Ballotpedia:2012 general election preview articles
- November 6, 2012 election results
- State executive official elections, 2012
- Ballotpedia:Statewide projections for the November 6, 2012 elections
- Arizona state executive official elections, 2012
- New Mexico state executive official elections, 2012
Footnotes
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- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Poll Times," accessed August 2012
- ↑ vote411.org - Voting In New Mexico
- ↑ The Republic, "Eastern NM unified in court-approved plan for redistricting Public Regulation Commission," January 18, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 New Mexico Secretary of State, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 6, 2012
- ↑ The Republic, "New Mexico governor chooses Santa Fe consultant to fill vacancy on regulatory panel," November 7, 2011
- ↑ The Republic, "New Mexico candidates for the Legislature, PRC and other offices face filing deadline," March 20, 2012
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