Norma Tech jots down delegate nominees during the GOP County Convention at the VFW. Photo by Carol A Clark/ladailypost.com
George Chandler tallies delegate votes during the Democratic County Convention at the Hilltop House Hotel Thursday evening. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By Kirsten Laskey and Carol A. Clark
Both political parties held their county conventions at the same time Thursday night. The Los Alamos Democratic Party held its county convention in the upstairs meeting room at the Hilltop House Hotel on Trinity Drive. The Los Alamos Republican Party held its convention at the VFW on Deacon Street.
Party members divided into wards to select their delegates and alternates to attend their State Pre-Primary Convention in Albuquerque next month.
The Democrats elected 18 delegates including David Izraelevitz, Chris Chandler, Karen Kendall, Greg Kendall, Karyl Ann Armbruster, Cathy Chapman, Carlotta McInteer, Lawrence Jeffryes, Robert Ecke, Debra Billbury, Michael Redondo, Paul Frederickson, Stephen Yanicak, Phillip Gursky, Amy Storey, Laura McClellan, Nathan Hjelms and Cheryl Smith Ecke.
The five Democratic alternate delegates elected Thursday night include Ken Milder, Lesley Olsher, Monty Bilberry, Brad Wright and Betty Gunther.
GOP members elected 12 delegates as well including Jim Hall, JoAnn Johnson, Bill Redmond, Jordan Redmond, Vincent Chiravalle, Norma Tech, Marie Todd, Veronica Rodriguez, Norman Wilson, Mike Weaver, Heather McClenahan and Francine Mendoza.
The delegates’ role at their Pre-Primary Conventions next month in Albuquerque is to represent the Los Alamos Democratic Party and Republican Party respectively, pass resolutions and vote on which candidates they believe should move on to the Primary Election in June and conduct other party business.
It takes 20 percent of the delegates at the state convention to win an official spot on the June primary ballot. The GOP Pre-Primary Convention is set for March 17 at the Crowne Plaza and the Democratic Pre-Primary Convention is set for March 10 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
