CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. — Election season in Cibola County is quickly approaching, with one mayorship and four municipal council seats up for election across Cibola County.
Candidate Filing Day for the 2025 Regular Local Election will be held on Tuesday, August 26, and residents considering a run for office have just one more week to prepare.
Between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on August 26, those interested in running for office must file their declarations of candidacy in person at the Cibola County Clerk’s Office, located at 700 E. RooseveltAvenue in Grants. The office is inside the Old County Building— just to the left after entering through the main doors.
A separate filing day for write-in candidates will take place one week later on Tuesday, September 2, during the same hours. These candidates do not have their name appear on the ballot, but their name can be considered – without filing, a name cannot be considered even if it receives votes.
This year’s ballot will shape leadership in three of Cibola County’s most vital institutions: the City of Grants, the Village of Milan, and the Grants-Cibola County Schools Board of Education.
In the City of Grants, two city council seats are up for election:
District 1, currently held by Councilor Zachery Gutierrez, who was appointed in 2024 after Erik Garcia was elected mayor. If Gutierrez decides to run, this will be his first time appearing on the ballot.
District 3, currently held by Councilor Fred Rodarte.
Both council positions are for four-year terms.
In the Village of Milan, four positions will appear on the ballot:
Mayor, currently held by Felix Gonzales Trustee, currently held by Chris Archuleta Trustee, currently held by James Mercer Municipal Judge, currently held by Willie Jaramillo
The mayor and trustee terms are four years, while the judge’s seat is for two years.
At Grants-Cibola County Schools, three of the district’s five board seats are up for election. These include:
District 1, represented by Emily Hunt-Dailey District 2, represented by T. Walter Jaramillo, who is on the ballot to be elected as he was appointed to this position.
District 3, represented by Ron Ortiz All three positions are four-year terms. Voters will also weigh in on a school property tax continuation question, which, if passed, would allow the school district to maintain its current $2 per $1,000 property tax rate through the year 2032. Funds would go toward school maintenance, classroom technology, facility improvements, and pre-K infrastructure. This is not a new tax—it’s an extension of an existing one.
The Cibola Citizen will publish a full list of certified candidates in the September 3 edition. The newspaper will attempt to get the information in the August 27 edition but press deadline and candidate filing deadline conflict, which may make it difficult. The list of candidates will be available from the Cibola County Whether you plan to run or vote, the time to engage is now. These are the decisions that shape your community’s future—at city hall, in the classroom, and on your block.
Editor’s Note: Earlier versions of this article have accidentally switched the positions of Councilors Gutirrez and Rodarte. The Citizen apologizes for this error.