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SANTA FE – A 26-year-old first-term Española city council member and Realtor ousted the city’s mayor in Tuesday’s election.
In unofficial but complete results, John Ramon Vigil defeated Javier Sánchez by 800 votes to 736, or 52% to 48% in the two-person race, according to the Secretary of State’s website.
“I’m humbled and honored to assume this position, it’s about trust and faith,” Vigil said of his victory over the one-term mayor.
“I was born and raised here and I believe in this community,” Vigil told the Journal in a phone interview.
Vigil said his priorities as mayor include “creating a public safety atmosphere” where residents can “enjoy shopping and living here” and improving water and sewer infrastructure in rural areas of the city.
Farther north, the Town of Taos will have a new mayor as Pascualito Maestas defeated two-term incumbent Mayor Daniel Barrone, 851 votes to 358, or 55% to 23%, according to the Secretary of State’s website.
The other candidates, Genevieve Oswald and Dustin Sweet, received 20% and 1% of the vote, respectively.
