Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Dora Salinas-McTigue and Jimmy Sandoval, Tucumcari, New Mexico (2014)
| Tucumcari City Commissioners recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Jimmy Sandoval |
| Recall status |
Recall defeated |
| Recall election date |
| January 2, 2014 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2014 Recalls in New Mexico New Mexico recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall City Commissioners Dora Salinas-McTigue and Jimmy Sandoval, Tucumcari, New Mexico from their positions was launched in 2013. The election took place on January 2, 2014.[1] Sandoval was ousted in the recall, while Salinas-McTigue was retained.[2]
The effort was initiated by a group called "A Better Unity for Tucumcari."
The election was estimated to cost $6,000.[3]
Election results
| Jimmy Sandoval | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Recall | 60 | 54.55% | ||
| Retain | 50 | 45.45% | ||
| Dora Salinas-McTigue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Recall | 42 | 46.15% | ||
 Retain | 49 | 53.85% | ||
Reasons for recall
"A Better Unity for Tucumari" pointed to the commission's decision by a 3-2 vote to dismiss Doug Powers as city manager on September 26, 2013. The commission voted to reinstate Powers on October 10.[4] Also, the group listed Salinas-McTigue and Sandoval's opposition to granting Lodger's Tax funding for 2014's "Rockabilly on the Route" event.[5]
Responses to recall
Salinas-McTigue's response
"I don’t get bent out of shape about a recall. I’m doing too much that’s good and positive to be worried about a recall. I’m interested in doing good for the whole community, as well as my district. If I’m recalled, I’m recalled. I would just hope that anyone who replaces me could do as good a job as I have," said Salinas-McTigue.[3]
Sandoval's response
"I want to see all of the people who signed the petition against me at the next commission meeting. I want them to ask me questions face-to-face. I want them to see that I’m not just sitting around," said Sandoval.[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in New Mexico
In order to initiate a recall election supporters were required to collect a minimum of 32 signatures in District 1 and 24 in District 2. According to state law, recalls in commission-manager municipalities require signatures from at least 20 percent of the average number of votes cast in the previous four regular municipal elections, or more than 20 percent of the number of voters who voted at the previous municipal election, whichever is higher.[5]
For Salinas-McTigue, a total of 50 signatures were submitted. Of those, 41 were valid. For Sandoval, 34 were filed. Of those, 31 were valid.[3]
Other Tucumari recall efforts
Other Tucumari commissioners subject to recall efforts included: District 4 Commissioner Robert Lumpkin and District 5 Commissioner and Mayor Amiel Curnutt. Sufficient signatures were submitted to initiate a recall election for District 3 Commissioner Ernie Dominguez; however, the election would not take place on January 2, 2014.[1] In mid-November 2013, the city attorney noted that all three commissioners were up for re-election in March 2014. A recall election, the attorney noted, could not take place before March, thus making the recall efforts a "moot issue."[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Quay County Sun, "Special recall election to target two commissioners," November 19, 2013
- ↑ Quay County Sun, "Commissioner Sandoval ousted, Commissioner Salinas-McTigue retained in Tucumari recall vote," January 2, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Quay County Sun, "Five city commissioners could face recall," November 5, 2013
- ↑ Quay County Sun, "Tucumcari Commission votes to fire city manager Powers," September 26, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Quay County Sun, "Petitions circulating to recall Tucumcari commissioners Salinas-McTigue and Sandoval," October 18, 2013
- ↑ Connect Amarillo, "Update on the Tucumcari city commissioners' recall petitions," November 14, 2013
