New Mexico's First Secretary of State
Antonio J. Lucero - 10/06/1863 - 06/06/1921 - was New Mexico's first Secretary of State, from 1912 when New Mexico became a state, to 1916. Secretary Lucero was born thirty-five miles southwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico, near the Pecos River. His family later moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where Antonio earned his education.
Before becoming New Mexico's first Secretary of State, he worked as clerk in a dry goods store from 1884-1888. Antonio later became the editor of a Spanish-language publication called, La Voz del Pueblo. Subsequently, he became a Spanish-language professor at East Las Vegas High School and the New Mexico Normal University (which became Highlands University in 1941).
In 1893, Antonio married Julianita Romero. Seven children were born to the couple: Aurora R.; Antonio Jr.; Delia M.; Julia; Edmundo N.; Elenor; and Arturo Francis Paul. Antonio's daughter Aurora became a well-known author.
A leader in the Democratic Party, Antonio was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1903. In 1912 he was elected New Mexico Secretary of State; and in 1916 he was re-elected to a second term.
Upon completion of his second term, Antonio returned to his hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico, returned to teaching, and became President of La Voz del Pueblo. Antonio also served as the first prohibition director in New Mexico. In 1920, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for United States Congress. On June 6, 1921, Antonio passed away at his home.
*Special thanks to New Mexico State Historian Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez for assisting our office with this important historical information.
New Mexico's Secretaries of State
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 |
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Antonio Lucero |
Manuel Martinez |
Soledad C. Chacon |
Jennie Fortune |
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E. A. Perrault |
Marguerite P. Baca |
Elizabeth F. Gonzales |
Jesse M. Gonzales |
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 |
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Cecilia T. Cleveland |
Alicia Valdez Romero |
Beatrice Roach Gottlieb |
Natalie Smith Buck |
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Betty Fiorina |
Alberta Miller |
Ernestine Duran Evans |
Shirley Hooper |
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 |
 |
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Clara Padilla Jones |
Rebecca Vigil-Giron |
Stephanie Gonzales |
Mary Herrera |
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Dianna J. Duran |
Brad Winter |
Maggie Toulouse Oliver |
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Terms Served by New Mexico's Past Secretaries of State
(1912-Present)
The following historical chronology of New Mexico's Secretaries of State was researched and compiled by Dan D. Chávez, Ph.D., UNM Professor Emeritus.
Five-Year Term1
TERM |
YEARS |
SECRETARY |
PARTY |
5 years |
1912-1916 |
Antonio J. Lucero |
Democrat |
Two-Year Terms
TERM |
YEARS |
SECRETARY |
PARTY |
2 years |
1917-1918 |
Antonio J. Lucero |
Democrat |
2 years |
1919-1920 |
Manuel Martinez |
Republican |
2 years |
1921-1922 |
Manuel Martinez |
Republican |
2 years |
1923-1924 |
Soledad C. Chacón |
Democrat |
2 years |
1925-1926 |
Soledad C. Chacón |
Democrat |
2 years |
1927-1928 |
Jennie Fortune |
Democrat |
2 years |
1929-1930 |
E. A. Perrault |
Republican |
2 years |
1931-1932 |
Marguerite P. Baca |
Democrat |
2 years |
1933-1934 |
Marguerite P. Baca |
Democrat |
2 years |
1935-1936 |
Elizabeth F. Gonzales |
Democrat |
2 years |
1937-1938 |
Elizabeth F. Gonzales |
Democrat |
2 years |
1939-1940 |
Jessie M. Gonzales |
Democrat |
2 years |
1941-1942 |
Jessie M. Gonzales |
Democrat |
2 years |
1943-1944 |
Cecilia T. Cleveland |
Democrat |
2 years |
1945-1946 |
Cecilia T. Cleveland |
Democrat |
2 years |
1947-1948 |
Alicia Valdez Romero |
Democrat |
2 years |
1949-1950 |
Alicia Valdez Romero |
Democrat |
2 years |
1951-1952 |
Beatrice Roach Gottlieb |
Democrat |
2 years |
1953-1954 |
Beatrice Roach Gottlieb |
Democrat |
2 years |
1955-1956 |
Natalie Smith Buck |
Democrat |
2 years |
1957-1958 |
Natalie Smith Buck |
Democrat |
2 years |
1959-1960 |
Betty Fiorina |
Democrat |
2 years |
1961-1962 |
Betty Fiorina |
Democrat |
2 years |
1963-1964 |
Alberta Miller |
Democrat |
2 years |
1965-1966 |
Alberta Miller |
Democrat |
2 years |
1967-1968 |
Ernestine Durán Evans |
Democrat |
2 years |
1969-1970 |
Ernestine Durán Evans |
Democrat |
One Four-Year Term
TERM |
YEARS |
SECRETARY |
PARTY |
4 years |
1971-1974 |
Betty Fiorina |
Democrat |
4 years |
1975-1978 |
Ernestine Durán Evans |
Democrat |
4 years |
1979-1982 |
Shirley Hooper |
Democrat |
4 years |
1983-1986 |
Clara Padilla Jones |
Democrat |
4 years |
1987-1990 |
Rebecca Vigil-Girón |
Democrat |
4 years |
2007-2010 |
Mary Herrera |
Democrat |
Two Consecutive Four-Year Terms
TERM |
YEARS |
SECRETARY |
PARTY |
4 years |
1991-1994 |
Stephanie Gonzales |
Democrat |
4 years |
1995-1998 |
Stephanie Gonzales |
Democrat |
4 years |
1999-2002 |
Rebecca Vigil-Girón |
Democrat |
4 years |
2003-2006 |
Rebecca Vigil-Girón |
Democrat |
4 years |
2011-2014 |
Dianna J. Duran |
Republican |
1 year |
2015 |
Dianna J. Duran (resigned on October 23, 2015) |
Republican |
1 year |
2015 - 2016 |
Brad Winter (Governor Appointed, took office on December 15, 2015 - December 9, 2015 4:00 p.m.) |
Republican |
2 years |
2016 - 2018 |
Maggie Toulouse Oliver (Elected and took office December 9, 2016 after 4:00 p.m.) |
Democrat |
Notes
- Since the first state election was held in 1911 (an odd-numbered year), the first Secretary of State (and the other state executive officers) served a five-year term.
- Projected end-of-term date.