GRANTS, N.M. – In a surprising development on the morning of December 17, the McKinley County Board of Commissioners opted to table their decision on who to nominate for the vacant House District 6 seat 'until further notice,' according to Shawna Garnenez, Executive Assistant to the McKinley County Manager.
This latest delay injects even more uncertainty into an already contentious process that began with the resignation of longtime District 6 Representative Eliseo “Lee” Alcon on November 25 due to health concerns.
The Cibola County Commission had moved swiftly on December 3 to nominate Harry Garcia, the current representative for District 69, to fill the vacancy left in District 6, sparking legal, ethical, and public concerns about representation, residency, and transparency.
What Happened at the McKinley County Meeting?
The McKinley County Board of Commissioners convened yesterday morning for a special meeting, where Item 6C on their agenda addressed the District 6 vacancy.
While the agenda anticipated a resolution to appoint someone for the seat, commissioners chose instead to delay their decision indefinitely, without providing a clear timeline for when they would revisit the matter.
This decision stands in stark contrast to Cibola County’s expedited nomination of Garcia earlier this month. It leaves Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham unable to proceed with appointing a replacement until McKinley County submits its nominee.
Under the New Mexico Constitution (Article 4, Section 4), when a legislative vacancy occurs in a district that spans multiple counties—as House District 6 does—each county commission must submit a nominee to the governor. If both counties agree on one individual, the process concludes. If they submit different names, the governor selects one nominee to fill the vacancy.
McKinley County’s delay has effectively stalled the process, extending the uncertainty over who will represent District 6 as the legislative session looms in January.
Pressed for Time, Few Answers
Given the timing of McKinley County’s decision on the Cibola Citizen’s press deadline day, details remain scarce.
The Cibola Citizen made multiple attempts to obtain further clarification on why the decision was tabled or when commissioners would reconvene, but officials were unavailable for additional comment at the time of publication.
This unexpected postponement raises further questions for District 6 constituents, the people of District 6 will remain without representation in The Roundhouse while they wait to see how Gallup and Santa Fe will move forward.
The ball remains in McKinley County’s court. Until their commissioners take action, the House District 6 seat will remain unfilled.
Meanwhile, Governor Lujan Grisham cannot finalize an appointment without receiving nominations from both Cibola and McKinley Counties.
For now, the communities of District 6—spanning Zuni, Grants, Crownpoint, and beyond— are left in limbo as their voice in New Mexico’s House of Representatives remains limited. The Cibola Citizen will continue to monitor this developing story closely.
The 60-Day 2025 Legislative Session will begin on January 21 at 12 p.m.