Stephanie L. DuBois

For those of us who included the correct information regarding the district number on our nominating petitions, qualifying candidates who didn’t doesn’t seem fair.

I’m reading with some concern about those candidates who did not include their district numbers on their nominating petitions. I, personally, am not trying to remove anyone from the ballot, but for those of us who filed on Tuesday and included the correct information regarding the district number, this doesn’t seem fair.

I guess it doesn’t really mean anything. And the “Law” isn’t worth the paper it is written on if the courts, in the AG’s opinion, are likely to not recognize the law and make them comply. Either the law must be followed, or we should do away with the law as it reads.

Although I have political differences with the secretary of state, the law she cites is pretty clear, as she stated it in her letter. It said not including “any of the preceding information,” including the district number, on the candidate’s nominating petition would make their petitions invalid.

The law, if enforced, has to be for everyone, across the board. If the law was only passed last year, I don’t understand the AG’s opinion that the court would most likely not hold up a challenge. In my opinion, we don’t know that.

Or maybe he doesn’t know that.

Elections and the democratic process are something we, as Americans, hold very dear. It is a right and a privilege. It is also a legal process, and the law should be followed.

I am sure some of these candidates identified will be challenged in court. We will just have to wait and see how it plays out.

DuBois, a Democrat, is a candidate for the Senate District 33 seat. So are incumbent Republicans Rod Adair of Roswell and Bill Burt of Alamogordo, who redistricting put in the same district. Like DuBois, both Republicans included the district number on their nominating petitions.