If Tuesday’s mayoral election was a referendum on the direction Corrales should take, it indicates a lot of trust in mayor-elect Fred Hashimoto’s vision for the future of the village.
Hashimoto, who served on the Village Council from 1990 to 1994, defeated incumbent Mayor Jim Fahey 2,318 votes to 1,426, according to unofficial Sandoval County election results.
The race represented different ideas; Fahey touted his leadership as key to several major projects completed in the last few years and his experience as beneficial to meeting the village’s future needs.
Hashimoto ran on preserving the village’s unique rural identity, working from the comprehensive plan and including more of the community in major decisions.
The Corrales Comment asked several Corraleños for their thoughts on how the change in leadership might impact the village. Responses have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.
Wayne and Jolene Maes: As residents of our beloved Corrales for 54 years, we are thrilled that our new mayor, Fred Hashimoto, has a vision of preserving our village lifestyle that we remember those many years ago. We have seen changes over these years that sadly have not preserved our rural identity as a peaceful village. How refreshing that we will have a mayor who is well informed, will listen and strive to protect the quality of life of residents of our village. We loved the integrity, compassion and energy of his campaign as he reached out and listened to all residents of Corrales. Fred’s motto is in our hearts … keep corrales a village!
Tessa Davidson: I am very happy to see that our grassroots efforts to preserve what we love about Corrales resulted in electing a mayor who I know will prioritize resident interests and values when considering important issues facing the village.
I think it is important to acknowledge that balancing the Village’s fiscal needs with the cultural and historical roots of the Village’s residents isn’t an easy task. But the landslide election of Fred as our new mayor is a very good indicator that the scale has been tipping too far on the side of non-resident business interests and regionalization. I expect Fred to even out the scale.
Johnny Martinez: I want to begin by acknowledging that people hold diverse views, and that’s okay. A good person with good intentions doesn’t always make everyone happy, and I deeply respect anyone who dedicates time to public service. So, I want to express a sincere thank you to the outgoing mayor and all who serve; it’s a demanding role that affects families and personal lives.
This election was unique in Corrales. It wasn’t about party lines. Voters had to decide what they wanted for the village, not on who their party endorsed. The results were clear: Dr. Fred Hashimoto won decisively across all precincts by at least 20 percentage points in all but two, signaling broad dissatisfaction with the previous administration’s leadership style. Many felt ordinances were enforced unevenly, committees were stacked, and community voices were ignored. Requests for open forums were dismissed, and though three were held by others, the mayor didn’t attend — leaving many feeling unheard. A grassroots group labeled a “small, vocal group” actually represented a broad base of community concern. I believe these things came to a head on election day,
While many celebrate Fred’s win, others may have reservations — often based on misconceptions. He’s been unfairly portrayed as anti-art, anti-farming, and anti-progress, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I encourage residents to speak with him directly rather than rely on secondhand narratives.
Corrales is full of talented, passionate people. Fred values that and will likely draw from their expertise to guide village decisions. I believe residents can expect support for local businesses as long as they are good neighbors and play by the rules, commitment to the arts, advocacy for farmers and protection of the horse community. Fred understands that Corrales is horse country.
A person can run a business AND ride a horse. If you’re bothered by flies and the smell of horse dookie, this might not be the place for you.
Looking ahead, I hope we foster a culture of respect. The hostility during the campaign — flipping off sign holders, stealing signs — was childish, ugly and unnecessary. Corrales is a rare gem. I’ve traveled to over 20 countries and 46 states, and nothing compares. Let’s be good neighbors and protect the blessing that is Corrales.