Los Alamos County Officials Endorse Katharine Clark for Secretary of State

A letter to the editor published Feb. 9 announces that multiple Los Alamos County elected officials have formally endorsed Katharine Clark for New Mexico Secretary of State, citing her record as Santa Fe County clerk and her office’s election performance.

The letter, by Karyl Ann Armbruster and published in the Los Alamos Reporter with the byline "BY KARYL ANN ARMBRUSTER Los Alamos," states in full: “For these reasons and others, Los Alamos County elected officials who were able to be reached are proud to endorse Katharine Clark for New Mexico Secretary of State.” The letter identifies Clark as “Katharine Clark, current SF County Clerk” and attributes several performance claims to her tenure: she “has led one of the most advanced election operations in the state,” and “Santa Fe County consistently delivers high-turnout elections among New Mexico’s largest counties, demonstrating that voter participation, accessibility, and operational discipline can be strengthened simultaneously.” The letter adds that “Santa Fe results are announced on Election night because of the knowledge, leadership, and training Katharine has shared with her staff.”

Named endorsers in the published list include Representative Christine Chandler, NM House of Representatives; Theresa Cull, Los Alamos County Council chair; Melanee Hand, Los Alamos County Councilor; Ryn Herrmann, Los Alamos County Councilor - Vice chair; Suzie Havemann, Los Alamos County Councilor; Beverly Neal-Clinton, Los Alamos County Councilor; George Chandler, Los Alamos County Assessor; Karyl Ann Armbruster, Former NM Public Education Commissioner; Ellen Specter, Former LAPS School Board Member; and David Hampton, UNM–Los Alamos Advisory Board Vice Chair. The letter’s phrasing - “Los Alamos County elected officials who were able to be reached” - signals the list reflects those contacted for the piece rather than an exhaustive roll call of county officeholders.

For Los Alamos residents, the endorsements put a spotlight on election administration as a local credential for statewide office. Officials who signed the letter emphasize administrative capacity, turnout, accessibility, and timely reporting of results as the primary reasons they support Clark. Those are practical considerations for voters who rely on accurate and timely local election information, and for county governments coordinating with state election offices on logistics, training, and post-election reporting.

The package of endorsements also intersects with other local political activity. Beverly Neal-Clinton, listed among the endorsers, was separately the subject of a LaDailyPost letter endorsing her County Council candidacy and citing priorities including Small Businesses, Affordable Housing, Inclusivity, and Mental Health.

The letter establishes an initial slate of local support that Katharine Clark’s campaign may amplify as the secretary of state contest advances. Residents should expect further statements from candidates and potential campaign materials listing endorsements; officials named in the letter can clarify their current roles and any additional reasoning behind their support. The endorsements frame election administration as a core issue in this race and make procedural competence a central theme for voters evaluating candidates for secretary of state.