Montemayor, Ybarra best Demo clerk picks

Incumbent Margaret Montemayor is seeking her third term in the post. She is being challenged by former district clerks' office employees Larry Garcia and Esmeralda Montez.

Montemayor is without doubt the best choice for Democratic voters. She is in her eighth year of managing the office without controversy.

Montemayor served as a deputy district clerk for 30 years before she ran for the top job in the office. Her experience exceeds that of either challenger.

The incumbent also has been adapting the office to modern technology.

Electronic filing of legal documents, lawsuits and motions began the year Montemayor took office. Lawyers no longer have to go to the courthouse to transact business.

Two years ago, Montemayor launched a digital imaging system that enables civil judges to call up documents in a lawsuit from their offices and eliminates the need for clerks to ferry papers back and forth through the courthouse.

The winner of the primary will face Republican Donna Kay McKinney in the fall. Democrats and the public as a whole will be best served if Montemayor is the Democratic nominee.

In another race, three Democrats are vying to win their party's nomination to challenge County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff in November.

Timothy Ybarra is the clear choice for the Democratic nomination.