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Incumbent Mayor Don Lopez lost his job by a large margin to outspoken opponent Joe Craig. Lopez also came in behind two other contenders sitting Trustees Gilbert Benavides and George Radnovich.
The unofficial results show Craig with 626 votes or about 35% of the vote; Benavides 553 votes or about 31%; Radnovich 368 votes or about 20%; Lopez with 228 votes or about 13%.
In the trustee race, Jennifer M. Kueffer topped contenders with 1,168 votes, or 45%, and Franklin D. Reinow collected 916 votes, or 37%. They won seats as trustees, while Shelleen Ann Smith was shut out, picking up 470 votes, or 18%.
There were just over 1,700 votes cast out of about 6,000 residents in the Los Ranchos election and with a 20% or so turnout in Bernalillo County. Clerk Linda Stover said more people should be involved in local elections.
“Local elections have a direct impact on our daily lives. They affect our neighborhoods, schools, and public services. Your voice and your vote truly matter in these elections”, Stover said in a press release.