Diego Lopez, Editor
Editor’s Note: Prior to publication, the Citizen learned the recount for both Grants City Council District 1 and Village of Milan’s two trustee seats will take place Tuesday, December 2 at 9am. This will be held in the County Clerks Office, 700 E Roosevelt Ave Suite 50, Grants,
NM
GRANTS, N.M. — A recount in the Grants City Council District 1 race is underway at the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.
Meanwhile, the Grants City Council has placed candidate Dolores P. Vallejos’ residency eligibility on its agenda multiple times and recently tabled the item at its Nov. 19 meeting after being presented with several possible determinations for Vallejos’ eligibility, ranging from full eligibility to ineligibility or additional proceedings.
The Citizen has learned of a call between the Secretary of State and the City of Grants; details of the call and who participated were not available at press time. As of publication, the city has not scheduled a special meeting to consider next steps.
Why This is a Controversy
The District 1 race was close (133–130–81).
After the election, Mayor Erik Garcia questioned whether Vallejos resides at the address on her voter registration; Vallejos has said she updated her registration to her mother’s home for medical caregiving reasons and that she confirmed District 1 status at the polls.
Vallejos changed her registration from a house on Kabrico Drive which she had maintained since 2011 to a house on Del Norte Blvd less than four months before the election, on July 28, 2025.
Public records show she maintains multiple properties in Grants.
What the Charter Says
Under Section 2.02(B) of the Grants City Charter, a councilor must be a resident of the district on and after the filing date and must continue to reside in that district throughout the term.
In eligibility reviews, the council may consider evidence such as physical presence, where the candidate sleeps most nights, voter registration and license addresses, utilities, mail receipt, property records, and testimony.