Judge allows Las Cruces Republican to stay on ballot

Judge allows Las Cruces Republican to stay on ballot – A New Mexico judge has allowed a state House candidate to stay on the ballot for the primary election despite finding alterations to her nominating petition.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Bev Courtney of Las Cruces will continue to be the sole Republican candidate for the district following the judge’s ruling Monday.

A lawsuit filed against Courtney argued that her petition should be invalidated because each page contained alterations to voter information.

According to court testimony, the alterations included added initials, added letters to complete names and changes to addresses.

Courtney says a campaign volunteer made the alterations for clarity and “not with any malicious intent.”

The judge invalidated 48 signatures but ruled it still contained enough qualifying signatures.

Courtney is challenging incumbent state Rep. Joanne Ferrary, a Democrat.