July Wrap-Up Newsletter

August 8, 2025

July Highlights from the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office

From professional development to community engagement, July was a month of collaboration for the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office. Our staff helped lead the statewide County Clerks Affiliate Conference, supported county-wide flood relief efforts for Lincoln County, joined the Disability Pride Parade on the Plaza, expanded voter registration outreach, and opened new opportunities for future voters to get involved. Here’s a look at what we’ve been working on—and what’s coming up next!

What's New at the Clerk's Office?

Clerks Affiliate Conference & Community Support

Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office staff were proud to contribute to this year’s New Mexico County Clerks Affiliate Conference, Future Forward: Where Legacy Meets Possibility. Over three days, clerks and election staff from across the state gathered to share expertise, strengthen connections, and explore the future of election administration.

Our team played a big part in making the conference a success:

• Rosangela Ortiz, Chief Deputy Clerk and Chair of the Clerks Affiliate, was instrumental in shaping the conference and guiding its program. She facilitated statewide conversations on leadership, public service, and preparing the next generation of election officials, helping ensure these discussions were meaningful and impactful.

• Margaret Gouws, Voter Outreach Coordinator, led a training introducing conference attendees to the basics of AI tools and best practices for safe, responsible use in voter outreach.

• Gary Reid, Election Administration Specialist, wrote and directed a special 1850s-themed Murder Mystery play inspired by real-life figures from territorial Santa Fe—performed by staff, volunteers, and vendors.

• Vanessa Apodaca, Andrea Tapia, and Cindy Benavidez, from our Bureau of Elections team, provided behind-the-scenes support with registration, setup, and teardown, ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Flood Relief for Lincoln County In response to the devastating flash floods in Lincoln County, our office joined efforts to support families in need. At the request of Lincoln County Clerk Shannan Hemphill, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office reached out to other county departments to gather donations of food, water, hygiene items, clothing, baby supplies, and more. Clerks’ offices from across New Mexico arrived at the recent Clerks Affiliate Conference with carloads of essential supplies, showing how our election community comes together in times of crisis. Thanks to the compassion and generosity of Santa Fe County staff and others statewide, these donations were delivered directly to families impacted by the floods. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who contributed—their kindness and willingness to help truly reflect the spirit of service that makes our county so special.

Disability Pride Parade Outreach Event

The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office was proud to join the 2025 Disability Pride Parade at the Santa Fe Plaza, celebrating inclusion, civic engagement, and accessible elections for all. Our team hosted an outreach booth where community members could register to vote, explore accessible voting options for the upcoming Regular Local Election, and learn about opportunities to serve on the new Disability Access board. Clerk Katharine Clark emphasized the office’s commitment to ensuring that every voter—regardless of ability—has equitable access to the ballot. From ADA-compliant polling places to permanent absentee ballots and accessible absentee options, our goal is to provide secure, independent, and convenient ways for all voters to participate. Applications for the Disability Access Advisory Board and other community boards remain open here. Serving on a board is a meaningful way to share your perspective, help improve the voting process, and ensure our elections work for everyone. Don’t miss your chance to have a voice in shaping local elections—apply today.

Partnering with the Community to Register Voters

The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office is committed to ensuring that every eligible voter has the opportunity to register and participate in our elections. As part of this effort, we’ve recently updated our Voter Registration Agent (VRA) trainings and expanded our outreach to more community groups.

A Voter Registration Agent is a person certified by the State of New Mexico to help others register to vote. These volunteers play an important role in making sure voter registration is accessible in every corner of our community.

In recent weeks, we’ve provided trainings to a variety of community groups and continue to expand these efforts. If you or your group are interested in attending a VRA training or scheduling one for your organization, please contact Christian Rodriguez Pena at cpena@santafecountynm.gov or 505-986-6243.

Calling all young artists – Sticker Design Contest Now Open!

The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office is inviting local students to help design our next official election stickers! Students (K-12) who live in Santa Fe County can submit a circular “I Voted,” “Future Voter,” or “First-Time Voter” sticker design for a chance to have their artwork printed and distributed during upcoming elections. Submissions are due by September 8, 2025. Winning designs will be selected through Ranked Choice Voting, featured on our website and social media, and used in real voter outreach efforts this election season. Submit your design online here!  For questions or to submit your design via email, contact Margaret Gouws at megillett@santafecountynm.gov or (505) 992-9858.

Important Regular Local Election Dates

October 7th - Last day to register to vote online; absentee ballots to US addresses begin mailing; in-person voting begins at the Clerk's Office during business hours; Same Day Registration begins

October 13th - No voting due to Indigenous People's Day.

October 18th - Expanded early voting begins throughout the county at expanded early voting locations

October 21st - Last day to request an Absentee ballot. Be advised: ballots may take up to 7 days in the mail each way.

November 1st - Last day of early voting.

November 4th - Election Day, 7am to 7pm.

Visit SantaFe.Vote for all your election-related information!

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