The Democrat defeated Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek with nearly 60% of the vote, claiming an open seat representing parts of Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley.

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

LAS CRUCES - Democrat Daisy Ann Maldonado won the open District 1 seat on the Doña Ana County Commission Tuesday, defeating Republican Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek in a contest shaped by concerns about infrastructure, water resources and public participation in county decisions.

Unofficial returns from the New Mexico secretary of state's office showed Maldonado with 8,245 votes, or 59.8%, compared with 5,542 votes, or 40.2%, for Barncastle Salopek.

Maldonado led by 2,703 votes, with 13,787 votes reported in the district.

The Doña Ana County Clerk's Office announced shortly before midnight Tuesday that its Absent Voter Election Board had recessed for the night, with fewer than 100 absentee ballots remaining to be processed countywide. Counting will resume at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4. Election results remain unofficial pending state certification.

Maldonado will succeed Commissioner Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez, who was elected in 2022 and did not seek a second term.

District 1 extends from downtown Las Cruces into the Mesilla Valley, including Picacho Hills, Fairacres, San Miguel, La Mesa and Mesquite. Residents in the district's unincorporated communities rely on county government for services including road maintenance.

Different backgrounds, shared infrastructure concerns

Maldonado previously directed Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County, working with colonia residents to organize for improved local services. She also served on New Mexico's Sustainable Economy Advisory Council.

In the League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico's 2026 voters' guide, Maldonado said she would prioritize road and infrastructure projects based on safety and need, particularly in communities that have waited longest for improvements.

She also proposed using county contracts to encourage local hiring and require living wages.

Barncastle Salopek, a water and natural resources attorney, has represented the Elephant Butte Irrigation District. She cited her experience securing federal grants for irrigation improvements as a model for helping local water systems finance infrastructure projects.

She also served as chair of New Mexico's Beneficiary Advisory Council, which advises on Medicaid policy.

Project Jupiter and public participation

Both candidates raised concerns about how county officials communicated with residents regarding Project Jupiter, the proposed data center development in Santa Teresa.

In interviews with Juan Corral of the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative, Maldonado said the County Commission's handling of industrial revenue bonds helped persuade her to run for office.

She pledged not to sign nondisclosure agreements with companies seeking commission approval. In the league's voters' guide, she also called for independent assessments of potential water impacts before large developments receive approval.

Barncastle Salopek told Corral she remained open to Project Jupiter but questioned whether residents had received enough information to evaluate its potential effects.

She proposed using town halls and public notices to explain major proposals before commissioners vote.

Maldonado advocated weekly office hours throughout the district and bilingual outreach through established community organizations.

The election fills one of two open seats on the five-member Doña Ana County Commission. The other contest, in District 3, featured three candidates, including a qualified write-in.

Organ Mountain News contacted both candidates for comment, but neither had responded by the time of publication.

All results remain unofficial until certification.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.