The former Anthony police chief held a nearly 15,000-vote lead in unofficial returns Tuesday night and will succeed term-limited Sheriff Kim Stewart.

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

LAS CRUCES - Democrat Vanessa Ordoñez, a former Anthony police chief and Navy veteran, won the race for Doña Ana County sheriff Tuesday, defeating Republican Todd J. Garrison, who previously held the office for nearly a decade.

Unofficial returns from the New Mexico secretary of state's office showed Ordoñez with 39,563 votes, or 61.6%, compared with 24,708 votes, or 38.4%, for Garrison.

Ordoñez led by 14,855 votes, with 64,271 votes reported in the countywide contest.

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 officials also said adjudication of write-in ballots in the County Commission District 3 race would continue Wednesday. All election results remain unofficial pending state certification.

Ordoñez will succeed Sheriff Kim Stewart, who is completing her second consecutive four-year term. Article X, Section 2 of the New Mexico Constitution prohibits Stewart from serving a third consecutive term.

Two candidates with law enforcement experience

Ordoñez previously served as a Doña Ana County sheriff's deputy and led the Anthony Police Department for about seven years. The city credited her with expanding department staffing and establishing a criminal investigations division.

Garrison entered the sheriff's office in 2005, when the County Commission appointed him following Sheriff Juan Hernandez's resignation. He subsequently won elections in 2006 and 2010, serving through 2014.

Before becoming sheriff, Garrison worked for the Las Cruces Police Department and the New Mexico State Police.

Both candidates told the Las Cruces Sun-News that retaining experienced deputies requires competitive compensation and opportunities for advancement.

Garrison emphasized equipping deputies for their assignments and establishing clear expectations for promotion and performance. Ordoñez prioritized mental health support for employees, work-life balance and regular meetings with county management to address staffing and budget needs.

In responses to the League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico's candidate questionnaire, Garrison said he would assess the agency before making management changes. He identified rebuilding morale and improving relationships with other law enforcement agencies as priorities.

Ordoñez called for consistent supervision, greater public access to department data and pairing deputies with behavioral health professionals when responding to people experiencing crises.

Differences over federal border security funding

The candidates also differed over Operation Stonegarden, a federal border security grant program.

During a September candidate forum on KTAL's Speak Up Las Cruces, both said local law enforcement officers should leave immigration enforcement to federal authorities.

Garrison defended accepting Stonegarden funding, while Ordoñez said she would decline it.

In her Sun-News questionnaire, Ordoñez said residents should be able to report crimes and serve as witnesses without fearing contact with a deputy.

The candidates also outlined different approaches to keeping residents informed. Ordoñez proposed holding rural town halls and establishing a public information officer position, while Garrison emphasized social media outreach throughout the county.

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

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.