Dona Ana County elections officials said the turnout for a special election was higher than usual -- some 31 percent of the 1,848 residents eligible to vote, and they turned out to defeat a proposal that would turn the community of Chaparral into a bona fide city, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported on its Web site.

The 427 who voted no to incorporation represented nearly 75 percent of the votes cast, but some provisional ballots remained uncounted, the Sun-News reported.

As voters streamed through the polling place at Chaparral Middle School, the one voting site, most told the Sun-News they didn't want the higher taxes and increased regulation that becoming a city would entail.

"People moved out here to get out of the city, and those who want to incorporate, let them move back to the city," 30-year Chaparral resident Lucio Avalos told the Sun-News.

Backers of incorporation had argued that becoming a city would mean improved roads, better utilities and a cleaner community.

But two years must elapse before another incorporation vote can be taken, the paper reported.

The vote will be canvassed by the Dona Ana County Commission on Thursday with certification of the results set for Jan. 10.

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