Horacio Favela, 48, charged last week with voting fraud, was elected municipal judge in Sunland Park on Tuesday, defeating opponent Maria Laura Estrada by 180 votes, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

But Favela, who is scheduled to be sworn in Friday, could face a legal challenge from his opponent and possible scrutiny from the state commission that oversees judicial conduct, the Sun-News reported.

Favela was charged last week with one count of false voting, a fourth-degree felony, after Dona Ana County officials received information that the candidate may not live in Sunland Park and that he voted twice by absentee ballot in the 2004 election, the paper said.

County investigators found that Favela's Sunland Park address was a trailer next to a tortilla factory in which Favela is a partner, but there was only office furniture inside the trailer, the Sun-News said.

Favela allegedly told investigators that he lived in El Paso but had separated from his wife and was now living in Sunland Park, the paper reported.

"I think I will be looking into filing a complaint," Estrada, his opponent, told the Sun-News. "He should have not been allowed to run with voter fraud charges. After all, a judge should be honest."

Any challenge would have to be filed in state District Court in Las Cruces within the next 30 days, City Attorney Enrique Palomares told the Sun-News.

Jim Noel, executive director and general counsel for the state Judicial Standards Commission, wouldn't comment, saying he cannot speak about matters that could come before the commission, the Sun-News said. 

Your Name:

Your Email Address:

Rate this article:
Poor Great

Comment:

BOLD

"QUOTE"

UNDERLINE