San Juan County, New Mexico

San Juan County Sheriff

Christesen was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official San Juan County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. New Mexico certifies the general election by November 24, 2026; county canvasses are due November 13. Official results: electionresults.sos.nm.gov.

About this race

Kenneth W. Christesen is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the New Mexico Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election Contest/Candidate List.

What this office does

Sheriff. The sheriff runs the county's law enforcement agency, operates the county jail, provides courthouse security and serves court papers such as warrants, subpoenas and evictions. In many counties the sheriff's office is the primary police force for areas outside city limits. The sheriff hires deputies and manages the office's budget within what the county board approves.

This race. Every voter in San Juan County votes on this seat. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

New Mexico › San Juan County › San Juan County Sheriff

Who won? The official answer comes November 24.

New Mexico makes results final in three steps.

✓

Done · Nov 3

Votes were cast and counted

Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.

Happening now · by Nov 13

San Juan County double-checks its count

The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.

Next · Nov 24

New Mexico makes it official

The State Canvassing Board certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 4, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: New Mexico official results.

San Juan County Sheriff

No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until New Mexico certifies on November 24; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Kenneth W. Christesen

Republican

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Supporting deputies by rebuilding staffing and providing resources and training
Targeting drug trafficking, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, through proactive enforcement and interagency cooperation
Promoting open communication and fair policing to build community trust

Biography

Kenneth W. Christesen has lived in San Juan County since 1973 and spent 29 years in law enforcement there, per his campaign site, previously serving two elected terms as San Juan County Sheriff and as president of the New Mexico Sheriffs' Association.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on the ballotSan Juan County Commissioner, District 1

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for San Juan County Sheriff in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for San Juan County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kenneth W. Christesen. Candidate information follows official San Juan County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the San Juan County Sheriff election in New Mexico?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. New Mexico certifies the general election by November 24, 2026; county canvasses are due November 13. Official results: https://electionresults.sos.nm.gov/. Voting rules for New Mexico are on the New Mexico election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact San Juan County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the San Juan County Sheriff race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; New Mexico certifies on November 24. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official San Juan County and state election office filings, last verified October 15, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official New Mexico election office, or see the full San Juan County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your San Juan County ballot

22 tracked races in San Juan County, New Mexico. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot

San Juan County Commissioner, District 2 San Juan County Probate Judge San Juan County Magistrate Judge, Division 1 See all 22 San Juan County races

Candidate profiles

Kenneth W. Christesen, full profile Official New Mexico election office