By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — Placitas voters who packed the Placitas Community Library on Oct. 6 got a preview of who wants to patrol their roads, run their elections and decide what gets built along N.M. 165.
Both Sandoval County sheriff candidates spoke at the nonpartisan forum: former Sheriff John Paul Trujillo, a Democrat, and Republican Victor Rodriguez. Two other Republicans also took the floor: Rebecca Lynn Skartwed, running for County Commission District 1, and Ramona Goolsby, running for secretary of state. Democrats Paul J. Madrid (District 1) and Amanda López Askin (secretary of state) did not attend. Organizers said López Askin declined because of a family commitment. Neighbors John Veltri and Mary Jo Streetz organized the event.
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Rodriguez said he has more than 26 years in law enforcement. His pitch: pursue drug dealers, take missing-person cases seriously, pay deputies competitively and cross-commission every eligible officer in the county so jurisdiction never delays a response.
“I believe in two things: enforcement, and I believe in empathy,” Rodriguez said.
Trujillo said he would bring back programs from his time as sheriff. That includes a school safety program with K-9 units, DWI and domestic violence teams, and seven patrol districts with 24-hour coverage. He also said he would hire deputies who live in rural areas.
An audience member asked about a neighbor whose car was hit by a driver carrying only a Guatemalan ID. Both candidates said they would work with federal immigration authorities. Trujillo said federal agents must wear proper identifying markings. Rodriguez said local officers cannot enforce federal immigration law but can refer suspects to federal agencies.
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Skartwed is a former president of the San Antonio de las Huertas land grant. She called Placitas a tinderbox because a wilderness designation bars mechanical thinning in the canyon. She proposed agreements with neighboring pueblos to open wildfire evacuation routes.
She also opposed the proposed 75-foot cell tower at N.M. 165 and Tierra Madre Road, which she said threatens bees and children’s health.
Goolsby targets voter rolls
Goolsby said an analysis her company ordered flagged about 113,000 registrations belonging to people who had moved out of state, plus nearly 4,000 deceased voters. She promised to work with county clerks to clean up the rolls and to create an online transparency portal.
She also rejected the “election denier” label. She said she has never denied that an election happened but believes the public has a right to question the process.
Early voting is already underway. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Vote in Sandoval County:
- Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Early voting: through Oct. 31
- Find your polling place and sample ballot: voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us
- Sandoval County Bureau of Elections: sandovalcountynm.gov