A lifetime of community service, four decades of public leadership, and a commitment to a court system that treats every person in Santa Fe County with fairness, dignity, and respect.
Harry Montoya was born and raised in northern New Mexico, one of five siblings, and grew up in a home his father and grandfather built in Arroyo Seco. He attended Pojoaque High School and went on to earn a full basketball scholarship to Westmar College in Iowa, where he graduated with a degree in Psychology and was recognized in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges. He later earned his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from New Mexico State University.
Harry and his wife Doris have been married for 46 years. They raised two sons in the Pojoaque Valley and are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren and one great-grandson. Harry has spent his career as a nonprofit executive, county commissioner, school board leader, and internationally recognized authority on substance abuse prevention — work that has taken him from Santa Fe County classrooms and courtrooms to diplomatic assignments with the U.S. State Department.
Now, Harry is running for Magistrate Judge because he believes justice should be fair, accessible, respectful, and rooted in the values of the community it serves.
Harry and Doris live in the Nambe Valley, where they've built a life rooted in family, faith, and service to their neighbors.
Harry remains an active volunteer with the Knights of Columbus, Sociedad del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, SPMDTU, Hermanos Cruzados, the Pojoaque Valley Irrigation District, Los Matachines de El Rancho, and serves as a Lector at his church. He also sits on the boards of the Rio Grande Foundation and the Espanola Lowrider Phenomena.
The law should be applied equally to every person who enters the courtroom, regardless of politics, favoritism, or financial means. A judge's first responsibility is to protect constitutional rights and ensure every case is decided on its merits.
For many people, Magistrate Court is one of the hardest and most intimidating moments of their lives. Every person — regardless of background, language, neighborhood, or income — deserves to be treated with respect and to leave the courtroom feeling heard.
Victims deserve protection, and law enforcement deserves professionalism and fairness in the courtroom. Accountability and public safety must remain central to how the court operates every day.
Many people who enter the justice system are struggling with mental health challenges, addiction, poverty, or lack of opportunity. When appropriate, the court should support solutions that reduce repeat offenses and help people become productive members of the community again.
Santa Fe County families deserve a court that runs efficiently and professionally, so that working people, seniors, veterans, and small business owners are not burdened by unnecessary delay.
A courtroom only works when the community trusts it. Harry is committed to promoting transparency in how the court operates and strengthening public trust in the judiciary.
Harry was born and raised in northern New Mexico, the son of Juan Montoya, a beloved elementary school teacher and chef known throughout the community. Harry moved as a young child to Arroyo Seco, into a home his father and grandfather built by hand. He lost his father in 2011 and his mother, Isabel, in 2016.
Harry attended Pojoaque High School before earning a full basketball scholarship to Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa, where he won the Stanley Short Award for academic and athletic excellence and graduated with a degree in Psychology. He later earned his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
Harry served as founding executive director of Los Alamos Citizens Against Substance Abuse and, in 1995, founded Hands Across Cultures, a nonprofit dedicated to youth substance abuse prevention. He served on the Pojoaque School Board, as President of the New Mexico School Board Association, and as a two-term Santa Fe County Commissioner, representing New Mexico on the National Association of Counties Board of Directors for six years.
Harry and Doris have been married 46 years and raised two sons in the Pojoaque Valley. They are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren and one great-grandson. The family has called the Nambe Valley home for decades, deeply rooted in the traditions and community of Santa Fe County.
Every contribution helps get Harry's message to voters across Santa Fe County. Contributions to judicial campaigns are subject to New Mexico judicial conduct and campaign finance rules.
Donate HereQuestions, endorsements, or want to volunteer? Reach out below.
Email Harry