By ROBERT WELLS

I enthusiastically support Anne Nobile for County Probate Judge. I have known Anne for a number of years and worked with her on behalf of Los Alamos schools issues; e.g., support of Jody Benson for the School Board, which was a successful endeavor. Anne’s credibility for serving this judicial position is reflected in her having been appointed Probate Judge by our bipartisan County Council. Having served as the County’s probate judge, she knows the job – and will faithfully continue to do the job needed and expected by County citizens.

In addition to my endorsement of Anne, I would like to note that she is a registered Independent, the only one on this year’s ballot. Having myself been an Independent registered voter for the past decade, I appreciate that being an Independent, in our essentially two-party political system, might complicate Anne’s election. However, I believe that it is crucial for all citizens to appreciate the importance of having an independent candidate option when voting for public officials. A recent New Mexican article (see below) noted that Los Alamos County presently has 38 percent registered Democrats and 35 percent registered Republicans. 

While not explicitly stated by The New Mexican, presumably the remaining 27 percent are some combination of Independent and “chose not to declare” registrations.

Nationally, Independent registrations have been steadily increasing over the past several years, trending towards 40 percent. With respect to Anne Nobile, I encourage voters to consider her proven performance as a fair-minded, impartial Probate Judge, with absolutely no ties to Democrat or Republican dogma.

From The New Mexican, published Oct. 20, 2016: “For the first time in at least decades, Democrats have edged ahead of Republicans in voter registration in Los Alamos. According to the most recent figures compiled by the secretary of state, 38 percent of voters in the county are registered Democrats and 35 percent are Republicans. That’s a change from January, when Los Alamos Republicans held an advantage of 37 percent to 36 percent.”