McKinley County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
10 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 8 McKinley County races, led by the New Mexico House District 5 contest.
School board
Public Education Commission District 5Sharon E. Clahchischilliage (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Sharon E. Clahchischilliage (Republican) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Public Education Commission District 5.
Sharon E. Clahchischilliage Republican Incumbent
Sharon Clahchischilliage, a Navajo Nation member raised in Shiprock, began her career as a special education teacher and later taught at the Bernalillo School District, Albuquerque Public Schools, Farmington School District, Diné College, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, per the New Mexico Public Education Department. She served three terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, then directed the Navajo Nation's Washington, D.C. office and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Incumbent Sharon Clahchischilliage is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for the Public Education Commission District 5 seat, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's certified candidate list. The name still appears on the ballot; the race is uncontested.
Full race pageJudges
New Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division IIBradley Lyle Keeler (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Bradley Lyle Keeler Democratic Incumbent
Bradley Lyle Keeler is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division II, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's official general-election candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Bradley Lyle Keeler is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat on the Eleventh Judicial District, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. Bradley Lyle Keeler is the sitting judge in this division, per https://eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/mckinley-county-gallup-district-court-judges/ and .../san-juan-county-aztec-farmington-district-court/. Every voter in McKinley and San Juan counties elects this seat, since New Mexico district judges are elected district-wide across the 11th Judicial District (the New Mexico Courts' Courts by District page). New Mexico district judges run in a partisan election the first time they seek the seat, then stand later on a separate nonpartisan retention question; this is that partisan race.
Full race pageNew Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division VIBrenna Clani-Washinawatok (D) · Brian D. Decker (R)
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok Democratic Incumbent
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok currently serves as the Division 6 district judge at the Aztec District Court in the 11th Judicial District, covering San Juan County, per the court's own website. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Brian D. Decker Republican
Brian D. Decker is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division VI, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's official general-election candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok and Brian D. Decker are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat on the Eleventh Judicial District, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. Brenna Clani-Washinawatok is the sitting judge in this division, per https://eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/mckinley-county-gallup-district-court-judges/ and .../san-juan-county-aztec-farmington-district-court/. Every voter in McKinley and San Juan counties elects this seat, since New Mexico district judges are elected district-wide across the 11th Judicial District (the New Mexico Courts' Courts by District page). New Mexico district judges run in a partisan election the first time they seek the seat, then stand later on a separate nonpartisan retention question; this is that partisan race.
Full race pageNew Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division VIIIStephen M. Wayne (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Stephen M. Wayne Republican Incumbent
Stephen M. Wayne currently serves as the Division 8 district judge at the Aztec District Court in the 11th Judicial District, covering San Juan County, per the court's own website. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Stephen M. Wayne is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat on the Eleventh Judicial District, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. Stephen M. Wayne is the sitting judge in this division, per https://eleventhdistrict.nmcourts.gov/about-this-district/mckinley-county-gallup-district-court-judges/ and .../san-juan-county-aztec-farmington-district-court/. Every voter in McKinley and San Juan counties elects this seat, since New Mexico district judges are elected district-wide across the 11th Judicial District (the New Mexico Courts' Courts by District page). New Mexico district judges run in a partisan election the first time they seek the seat, then stand later on a separate nonpartisan retention question; this is that partisan race.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
McKinley County is split across 4 New Mexico House districts.
Find your districts by addressNew Mexico House: 4 districtsDistricts 5, 6, 9, 69
New Mexico House District 5Doreen Wonda Johnson (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Doreen Wonda Johnson Democrat Incumbent
Doreen Wonda Johnson is the Democratic nominee for New Mexico House District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list. Doreen Wonda Johnson is the sitting member, per the New Mexico Legislature's member roster. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Doreen Wonda Johnson (D) is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico House District 5; unopposed candidates still appear on New Mexico ballots, so the race is on the ballot but is not contested. Doreen Wonda Johnson is the sitting member, per the New Mexico Legislature's member roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list.
Full race pageNew Mexico House District 6Martha Garcia (D) · Paul L. Spencer (R)
Martha Garcia Democrat Incumbent
- Lowering costs for families and expanding healthcare access in rural and tribal communities
- Building more affordable housing
- Expanding child care, education and workforce training
Per the campaign site.
About Martha Garcia
Martha Garcia is the sitting New Mexico State Representative for House District 6, appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2024 to succeed the late Representative Eliseo Lee Alcon, per her campaign site. She represents rural and tribal communities in the district, per her campaign site.
Paul L. Spencer Republican
Paul L. Spencer describes himself as a business owner and community leader who has lived in the district more than 40 years, per KANW/Source New Mexico. Spencer also ran for the House District 6 seat in 2024, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Martha Garcia (D), Paul L. Spencer (R) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico House District 6. Martha Garcia is the sitting member, per the New Mexico Legislature's member roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list.
Full race pageNew Mexico House District 9Patricia 'Patty' A. Lundstrom (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Patricia 'Patty' A. Lundstrom Democrat Incumbent
Patricia 'Patty' A. Lundstrom has represented House District 9, covering McKinley County, since 2001, per the New Mexico Legislature member page, which lists her occupation as executive director of the Gallup-McKinley Economic Development Corporation. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Patricia 'Patty' A. Lundstrom (D) is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico House District 9; unopposed candidates still appear on New Mexico ballots, so the race is on the ballot but is not contested. Patricia 'Patty' A. Lundstrom is the sitting member, per the New Mexico Legislature's member roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list.
Full race pageNew Mexico House District 69Michelle Paulene Abeyta (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Michelle Paulene Abeyta Democrat Incumbent
- Supports child protection reforms including an independent Office of the Child Advocate
- Supports expanding health care access and behavioral health services
Per the campaign site.
About Michelle Paulene Abeyta
Michelle Paulene Abeyta has represented House District 69 since 2025, per the New Mexico Legislature member page, which lists her occupation as lawyer. Abeyta is a member of the Navajo Nation from To'hajiilee and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona, per Abeyta's campaign site.
Michelle Paulene Abeyta (D) is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for New Mexico House District 69; unopposed candidates still appear on New Mexico ballots, so the race is on the ballot but is not contested. Michelle Paulene Abeyta is the sitting member, per the New Mexico Legislature's member roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
New Mexico's field is the Secretary of State's candidate portal list for the November 3, 2026 general election. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2 primary. All 70 state House seats are up; state senators serve four-year terms and are not on the 2026 ballot except where a special election fills a vacancy. The governor and lieutenant governor run as a ticket. Unopposed candidates still appear on the ballot.
Who is on the ballot in McKinley County, New Mexico on November 3, 2026?
McKinley County sample ballot 2026: who is running for public education commission and new mexico house, with bios, priorities and campaign sites. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in New Mexico?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Mexico are listed on the New Mexico election hub. New Mexico election hub →
How do I see my exact McKinley County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →