Winners of the 2026 Primary Election are: clockwise from left, Municipal Judge Elizabeth Allen, Los Alamos County Assessor candidate Jeff Casalina, Los Alamos County Council candidate Jason Chappel, incumbent Councilor Theresa Cull, Council candidate David Hampton, incumbent Councilor Melanee Hand, Probate Judge Perry Klare, Council candidate Steven Lynne, Sheriff candidate Antonio Maggiore and Magistrate Judge Catherine Taylor. Courtesy photos
Staff Report
The unofficial results of the 2026 Primary Election are in.
In the locally contested races for Los Alamos County Council and Sheriff, the following candidates will appear on the ballot in November’s General Election:
Los Alamos County Council:
- Jason Chappel, Republican
- Steven Lynne, Democrat
- Incumbent Theresa Cull, Democrat
- David Hampton, Democrat
- Incumbent Melanee Hand, Democrat
County Sheriff:
- Antonio Maggiore, Democrat
In the County Council race, Cull earned the most votes – 2,299. She was followed by Hampton who earned 2,218 votes. Lynne received 1,952 votes and Hand earned 1,868 votes. Chappel received 830 votes.
The remaining candidates were Joseph Granville, Democrat, who earned 1,525 votes and Eric Stromberg, Republican, who received 780 votes.
Regarding the Sheriff’s race, Maggiore received 1,522 votes while opponent David Izraelevitz, Democrat, received 1,470 votes.
The candidates heading for the November ballot expressed their appreciation to the voters.
In a letter published on the Los Alamos Daily Post website, Hand wrote, “I’m deeply honored by the trust our community has placed in me as the votes were tallied from our primary election for four County Councilor seats … To my supporters, volunteers, friends, and family — thank you for your energy, your conversations, and your belief in this work. And to those who did not support me, I want you to know I am here to continue serving you as well. I also want to thank all the candidates who competed for this position, putting in the hard work to drive a campaign. Every voice matters, and I will continue listening to our whole community.”
In an interview with the Los Alamos Daily Post Tuesday night, Hampton said, “I’m thrilled with the results and I thank all of the people in the County for having faith in me and I am looking forward to the General Election.”
“I am incredibly grateful to the voters of Los Alamos County who placed their trust in me during the primary election,” Chappel said. “This campaign began with a simple belief: County government should be transparent, fiscally responsible, and focused on serving the people who call Los Alamos and White Rock home. As we move toward November, I look forward to having conversations throughout our community about the issues that matter most to residents, including responsible growth, support for local businesses, housing, healthcare, and ensuring that County government remains accessible and accountable to the public. I want to thank everyone who supported this campaign, volunteered their time, shared their ideas, and encouraged me along the way. The primary was an important step, but the real work is still ahead. I am excited for the opportunity to listen, learn, and continue earning the trust of our community.”
“I want to say thank you to everyone who participated in the Primary,” Lynne said. “I am grateful for the support and look forward to continuing on into the General Election.”
“Thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Primary Election,” Cull said. “I really appreciate your confidence in me. I hope that you all, and many others, are planning to vote in November. I plan to be out and about this summer and want to hear from you about your wants and needs for Los Alamos County. But you can also contact me at theresa4council@gmail.com to provide feedback. I’d also like to thank the County Clerk’s Office and the many volunteers who make these elections run smoothly. On to November!”
“I’m humbled to have won the support of the majority of voters in the County, as narrow as it was,” Maggiore said. “I’m looking forward to serving this County … and will do my best to make the Sheriff’s Office both relevant and a positive asset for the community. I view the Sheriff in Los Alamos as a way to build community.”
The other local offices were uncontested and include: Jeff Casalina running for County Assessor, Perry Klare running for Probate Judge, Elizabeth Allen running for Municipal Judge and Catherine Taylor running for Magistrate Judge.