New Mexico 11th Judicial District Court, Division VI

About this race

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.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Brenna Clani-Washinawatok, is on the ballot.