DOÑA ANA COUNTY ― There will be a new Third Judicial District Attorney in 2025, as incumbent Gerald Byers conceded his Primary race Tuesday evening.
Following the announcement around 10:30 p.m., on Tuesday, June 4, from the Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office that the absentee voter election board was dismissed and would continue counting on Wednesday morning, Fernando Macias held an 80 vote lead over Shaharazad Booth in the Democrat Primary Election.
According to unofficial results on the New Mexico Secretary of State website, Macias had received 34% (3,366) of the 9,825 votes cast in the race. Booth had received 33% (3,286 votes).
“The results from the Secretary of State say I won by 80 votes and that there is a very small number of absentee ballots that still have to be counted, but not enough to determine the outcome,” Macias told the Sun-News Tuesday night.
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In order to force an automatic recount, Booth would have to be within .5% of the total number of votes cast in the race.
Macias will take on Republican Michael Cain in the November General Election.
Ramona Martinez, a Democrat, finished third in the four-candidate primary with 2,315 votes and Byers was fourth with 858 votes.
“The people have spoken,” said Byers, who ran unopposed in 2020, and, as a result became the first Black district attorney in the state of New Mexico. “Best wishes to the successful general election candidate, and I’m looking forward to a smooth transition.”
Macias and Booth were back and forth throughout the evening. Booth was surrounded by applause at a local sports bar watch party when she took the lead for the first time around 8:30 p.m. and again when she had 35% of the votes counted.
But Macias surged ahead for good around 9 p.m., with a slim lead of 51 votes that grew to 80 by the end of the night.
“The analogy I’m reminded of is the Kentucky Derby with two horses racing down the stretch and one horse winning by a nose,” Macias said. “I’m absolutely ecstatic. I thought I needed 38% of the vote to win. I didn’t get there, but it was hard to tell based on turnout. I’m extremely excited about the possibilities to come.”
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Macias graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and was the county manager for nine years. He has also been a public defender and a Third Judicial District judge. He served as a state senator for 16 years, where he also was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Macias’ last day as county manager was April 30, 2024 after Commissioners voted in December to end Macias’ contract. The decision came after Macias protested changes to the yearly evaluation process which was expanded to allow additional elected officials to participate. Macias’ contract required his agreement to any evaluation changes.
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It’s important to note that all election results remain unofficial until the canvassing process is complete and the State Board of Canvass certifies the official results, according to the SOS. The canvass process that ensures accuracy in the election results will take place over the next two weeks at the county-level and at the Secretary of State’s Office, with the State Board of Canvass meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 to certify the official results and order any recounts.
Jason Groves can be reached at jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow the Sun-News at www.lcsun-news.com for more election coverage.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Fernando Macias wins Democratic Primary for District Attorney
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