EXTRA: Angie Sommers was the victor in the Democratic Runoff election April 8, 2008 for the Constable Precinct # 7 race. Sommers won the runoff over David Chavez by over 400 votes for an almost 3-2 margin.

In the primary election, Chavez garnered the most votes edging out Sommers by a mere 185 votes enroute to a 41% to 39% lead for the two runoff candidates.

The voter turnout was substantially lower for the runoff election with only about 25% the turnout of the primary election in Precinct # 7. In the primary race, 10,000 votes were cast for the Democratic Constable Precinct # 7 race. In the runoff election both candidates only tallied a quarter of the primary votes, Sommers winning with a 1,513 to 1,111 winning margin.

Article March 25, 2008 follows: After years of rumors, charges and delayed prosecution, the Upper Valley and prs of the Westside and a section of El Paso just over the mountain will have a new Constable # 7 as well as a new Sheriff, come November.

In 2004, former Constable # 7 Gaspar Tarago (D), ran against then incumbent Constable # 7 William Burkett (R). One of the reasons that Tarago ran to unseat his former Deputy Constable was that he said Burkett "has felony charges pending" due to an altercation at a Upper Valley nightclub that has since closed, the Stampede. Burkett then told UVB that the charges were not substantiated and that he was not guilty. One of the charges was that he resisted arrest and another was that he threatened an officer with the EPPD. County Commissioner Dan Haggerty indicated at that time that removing an elected official is not as easy as removing an employee.

This year the March election brought the race down to three from five candidtes seeking to replace the troubled Burkett. On the Republican side the candidate in November will be King Merritt, a peace officer and instructor at EPCC.

On the Democratic side there was no clear winner. The two candidates with the most votes in March primary election, Angie Summers and David Chavez, vaulted themselves into a runoff election. One of them will face Merritt in the general election come November.

Prepared by UVB staff.

(Graphics: Valley Publishing Company)

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