Community Forum — How Eddy County Elections Actually Work

Community Forum — How Eddy County Elections Actually Work

With the June 2nd primary one week away, Hattie Quinn sits down with Eddy County Clerk Cara Cooke — who has worked in the Bureau of Elections since 2007 — for a conversation about process, not candidates. How does a candidate get on the ballot? What happens when your ballot goes into the tabulator? Why do two locks with two different keys matter? Cara walks through all of it — same-day registration, the new semi-open primary, absentee and permanent absentee voting, and what election workers actually experience on a day that starts at 6 AM and does not end until well after 7 PM. There is also a frank conversation about voter turnout. The Artesia mayoral race was decided by around 20 votes out of more than 8,000 eligible voters. That conversation is worth your time. A few things to know before June 2nd: New Mexico does not require a photo ID to vote, unless there is an address discrepancy. Ballots are printed on demand when you check in. And if you see two election officials approach the tabulator at a polling site, that is not tampering — it is simply keeping the tabulator running by freeing up space in the write-in ballot bin. Early voting runs Monday through Friday 8 AM to 6 PM and Saturdays 8 AM to 4 PM through May 31st at the Eddy County Clerk’s Office, 325 South Main Street, Carlsbad, and the Artesia Sub Office at 602 South 1st Street. Election Day is Tuesday, June 2nd, 7 AM to 7 PM. Sample ballots at nmvote.org. Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [http://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Midweek Matters — A Grand Opening, Mountain Lions, and a Fee You Need to Know About

Hattie brings this week’s community roundup from Carlsbad, the seat of Eddy County — what’s happening around the area, micro-news that affects your daily life, and a special community corner honoring Southeast New Mexico College’s inaugural Mountain Lion Student of the Month class. This week’s events run from a grand opening ribbon cutting and free summer movies at La Cueva to a veteran resource fair, a lineman camp for young adults considering a trade, cops and goats on a Friday morning, a throwback photo studio at Milton’s Brewing, and the return of Caffeine and Cultivation at the Carlsbad Public Library. Cavern Fest is on the horizon at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park, and Eddy County CASA’s Project Playhouse raffle kicks off June 5th with custom-built playhouses up for grabs — all proceeds supporting children in foster care. In the news, vehicle registration fees increase 25% for most passenger vehicles on July 1st — state-mandated through Senate Bill 2. You may be able to renew for up to two years before the deadline. The June 2nd primary is one week away with five candidates competing for governor and early voting underway now at the Eddy County Clerk’s office. And Steve Pearce of Hobbs is now Director of the Bureau of Land Management, confirmed by the Senate 46-43. The community corner this week belongs to SENMC. Six students were recognized in the inaugural year of the Mountain Lion Student of the Month program — Elida Sotelo, Rita Mariana Moreno Urquidy, Antonia Robledo, Sammy Lopez Jr., Charlie Beardmore, and Wei Rongxian. Mariana was named the inaugural Mountain Lion Student of the Year for a disability support group that began as a class project and grew into something lasting. Six students, one inaugural year, all of them rooted right here in Eddy County. Southeast New Mexico College, you should be proud. Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [http://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Paul Gessing on Free Childcare, Film Subsidies, and School Choice in New Mexico

Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, joins Johnny Chandler on Community Forum to discuss the constitutional lawsuit challenging Governor Lujan Grisham's universal free childcare program, the decline of New Mexico's film subsidy industry, and a federal school choice tax credit currently awaiting the governor's decision. Recorded ahead of the June 2nd primary. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

William Bernhardt on The Superman Wars, Creator Rights, Publishing and WriterCon

Bestselling author and legal thriller legend William Bernhardt joins Book Crew hosts Dirk Hooper and Beth A. Freely for a conversation about his newest book, The Superman Wars — a narrative nonfiction account of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel's decades-long battle for recognition and ownership. Bernhardt also reflects on his own journey as an author of more than sixty books, the ethics of the publishing industry, and the importance of writer community through WriterCon. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In Memoriam - May 24, 2026 - West Funeral Home, LLC.

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community. In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents. To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages: West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obits [https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obits] Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [https://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]