Vanessa Ordóñez will be the next Doña Ana County sheriff after defeating former Sheriff Todd Garrison by nearly 15,000 votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Unofficial returns from the New Mexico secretary of state's office showed Ordóñez, a Democrat, with 39,563 votes, or 61.6%, compared with 24,708 votes, or 38.4%, for Garrison, a Republican, Organ Mountain News reported. A total of 64,271 votes were reported in the countywide contest.
All results remain unofficial pending state certification. The Doña Ana County Clerk's Office said shortly before midnight on Nov. 3 that fewer than 100 absentee ballots remained to be processed countywide, according to Organ Mountain News.
Ordóñez will succeed Sheriff Kim Stewart, a Democrat who is completing her second consecutive four-year term. The New Mexico Constitution prohibits Stewart from serving a third consecutive term. Ordóñez's four-year term begins Jan. 1.
Two law enforcement veterans
Ordóñez, a former Anthony police chief and Navy combat veteran, previously served as a Doña Ana County sheriff's deputy. She led the Anthony Police Department for about seven years. The city credited her with expanding department staffing and establishing a criminal investigations division, according to Organ Mountain News.
She holds a master's degree in criminal justice administration and has more than two decades of combined military and law enforcement experience, according to a candidate profile published by Sur NM Noticias in May.
Garrison entered the sheriff's office in 2005, when the County Commission appointed him following Sheriff Juan Hernandez's resignation. He won elections in 2006 and 2010. Before becoming sheriff, Garrison worked for the Las Cruces Police Department and the New Mexico State Police, according to Organ Mountain News.
Policy differences on border funding
The candidates split on Operation Stonegarden, a federal border security grant program. Garrison defended accepting the funding. Ordóñez said she would decline it.
Both said during a September candidate forum on KTAL's Speak Up Las Cruces that local law enforcement should leave immigration enforcement to federal authorities, Organ Mountain News reported. In a Las Cruces Sun-News questionnaire, Ordóñez said residents should be able to report crimes and serve as witnesses without fearing contact with a deputy.
Transparency and response times
Ordóñez called for greater public access to department data, consistent supervision and pairing deputies with behavioral health professionals when responding to people experiencing crises, according to Organ Mountain News.
She also proposed holding rural town halls and establishing a public information officer position. Garrison emphasized social media outreach throughout the county.
On response times, Ordóñez told Sur NM Noticias before the election that she would place more deputies in high call-volume areas.
Both candidates told the Las Cruces Sun-News that retaining experienced deputies requires competitive compensation and opportunities for advancement. Ordóñez prioritized mental health support for employees and regular meetings with county management to address staffing and budget needs.
Organ Mountain News reported that it contacted both candidates for comment on the results, but neither had responded by the time of publication.
