Decision reversed

Longtime Democratic state Rep. Luciano “Lucky” Varela of Santa Fe will have an opponent on the Nov. 6 general election ballot after all.

Reversing an earlier decision, Secretary of State Dianna Duran’s office says Libertarian Bob Walsh had just enough valid signatures on nominating petitions to get

on the ballot in House District 48.

Duran’s office had determined last week that Walsh had fallen short of the required 102 signatures.

But when Walsh took it up with the office, and an elections official reviewed the signatures again, it was determined he had just enough.

Duran blamed human error for the initial ruling, saying a staffer just wasn’t careful enough.

The second review was done by Bureau of Elections Director Bobbi Shearer, who “came up with exactly the number of signatures required,” Duran said.

It will be the second matchup in as many years for Varela and Walsh, who ran against the lawmaker as a Republican last time around.

Varela has been in the Legislature since 1987.

Walsh won’t be the only Libertarian on the ballot: Gary Johnson, also an ex-Republican and formerly New Mexico’s governor, is running for president.

—Deborah Baker; dbaker@abqjournal.com