2026 Costilla County Elections: Candidates, Research Tools, District Map, and What Voters Should Be Asking

Elections, Candidates & Ballot Issues
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Costilla County is heading into an important 2026 election cycle. Between the sheriff’s office upheaval, commissioner decisions, land use issues, budget questions, roads, public safety concerns, and the other county offices on the ballot, there is clearly more being voted on than just one race.

This thread is meant to collect public-facing research tools, candidate information, district info, and useful voter questions in one place.

This is not an endorsement thread. The goal is to make it easier for people to verify information and have the real discussion here.

Key 2026 Election Dates

  • Primary election: June 30, 2026

  • General election: November 3, 2026

Colorado’s official candidate information also notes that certified write-in candidates are not listed on the ballot, but voters may write in a certified write-in candidate’s name where allowed.

Public Research Tools / Official Sources

Elections & voter information

Campaign finance / candidate filings

Commissioner districts / county structure / board info

Court records / public records / background checks

Sheriff Race Candidates

Republican candidates

Democratic candidates

  • Jason Gerald Maestas

  • Cruz Santo Soto

Unaffiliated candidate

  • Paul Quintana

Candidates shown as inactive / terminated

  • Keith Charles Schultz

  • Victor Hummel

Important for voters: in Colorado, a write-in candidate has to file separate paperwork notifying election officials that they are running as a write-in. Joe Smith got that paperwork submitted in time. Hunter did not.

So to be blunt: a write-in vote for Joe counts. A write-in vote for Hunter does not.

Current Officeholders + Race Status

Before this turns into rumor soup, here’s the current officeholder + race status breakdown from the public info I could verify:

County Commissioners

  • District 1 Commissioner: Robert Espinoza is the current commissioner. Seat is safe until 2028

  • District 2 Commissioner: Lorraine “Lorrie” Quintana is the current commissioner and her seat is up in 2026. See below for more race details.

  • District 3 Commissioner: Steven Romero is the current commissioner. Seat is safe until 2028

Other current county officeholders:

  • Clerk & Recorder: Najondine Placek

  • Treasurer: Michael Ray Vigil

  • Assessor: Thomas Aragon

  • Coroner: Gary Vigil

  • Sheriff (current/interim): Joe Smith

2026 Races

  • District 2 Comissioner Candidates:

  • Lorrie Quintana is active again running as a Democrat

  • Patrick M. Maestas is active running as a Democrat

  • Patrick L. Roybal is active running as a Democrat

  • Ryan Lee is active runing unaffiliated

  • Michael Vincent Gallegos filed but shows inactive/terminated.

Assessor Candidates

  • Pamela Vigil (Democratic)

  • Angelina Espinoza (Democratic)

  • Gary Myco (Republican)

Clerk & Recorder Candidates

  • Adelia Romero (Democratic)

Coroner Candidates

  • Sherri Vigil (Democratic)

Treasurer

  • Michael Ray Vigil (Democratic)

If anybody has public candidate pages, TRACER filings, campaign sites, or county/state election pages for those races, post them.

Commissioner District Map

For commissioner districts, here’s the public map so people can stop guessing what district they’re even in:

View the Costilla County Commissioner District Map

Ground Rules for This Thread

If you’re going to claim somebody is running, not running, disqualified, write-in only, or that votes for them will or won’t count, bring something public people can actually check.

As it stands right now, the information shared here is:

  • Joe Smith filed the required write-in paperwork in time

  • Hunter did not

  • A write-in vote for Joe counts

  • A write-in vote for Hunter does not

This thread is for sorting out what’s real, not for campaign fan fiction, gossip, or “I heard…” nonsense.

Questions Every Sheriff Candidate Should Be Asked

  • What specific changes would you make to evidence handling and chain of custody?

  • What public reporting should residents expect on complaints, case follow-up, and response times?

  • What should happen when deputies fail to activate body-worn cameras?

  • How will you rebuild trust with the District Attorney’s Office and the public?

  • What is your actual staffing and recruitment plan for Costilla County?

  • How will you handle property-crime cases where victims already have photos, video, or suspect information?

  • What role should outside agencies play while the department rebuilds?

  • Will you publish department policies, complaint procedures, and response standards online?

Questions Every Commissioner Candidate Should Be Asked

  • What county financial information should be posted publicly every month?

  • Would you support a searchable public check register or expenditure ledger?

  • How should the county publish and explain road-and-bridge priorities?

  • Should the county publish a road maintenance schedule?

  • What should change after the sheriff’s office crisis?

  • How should residents know whether public comments and complaints are actually being acted on?

  • What changes are needed in how county meetings are noticed, streamed, recorded, and archived?

  • What records should be public by default without residents having to fight for them?

  • How should executive sessions be handled in a way that preserves public trust?

  • What is your position on district representation, and do residents know what district they are in? See the Commissioner District Map.

Questions Every Clerk & Recorder Candidate Should Be Asked

  • How will you maintain public confidence in election administration?

  • How quickly should agendas, minutes, election notices, and recorded documents be made available online?

  • What should be done to make county records easier to search and locate?

  • How will you communicate election changes, deadlines, and ballot questions clearly to residents?

  • What would you improve about public access to records?

Questions Every Assessor Candidate Should Be Asked

  • How will you make valuation and assessment information understandable to regular residents?

  • How should residents challenge or better understand assessments?

  • What transparency improvements would you support around valuation methods, comparable sales, and notices?

  • What information should be easier to find online?

Questions Every Treasurer Candidate Should Be Asked

  • How should county funds, tax receipts, and public payments be explained to residents?

  • What financial reports should be available online without needing a records request?

  • How should residents be able to track where county money is going?

  • What transparency improvements would you make around land sales, tax collections, or public disbursements?

Questions Every Coroner Candidate Should Be Asked

  • How should the coroner’s office coordinate with law enforcement while remaining independent?

  • What public information can be responsibly shared while respecting privacy and active investigations?

  • How should the office handle evidence, scene coordination, and public communication?

  • What standards of professionalism and documentation should residents expect?

How to Improve This Thread

If you add information, please include one or more of the following:

  • a TRACER link

  • an official county or state source

  • a campaign website

  • a public filing

  • a public statement or news source

If a claim is strong, the source should be strong too.