Democracy101: Engaging Students in Civic Life
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Clerk Clark’s Democracy 101 program reached students at both the elementary and high school level this month.
At Amy Biehl Community School, staff tailored the program to younger students ahead of their student council elections. Kids learned the basics of why voting matters, how elections work, and even learned about Ranked Choice Voting.
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At Early College Opportunities (ECO) High School, about 70 students received a hands-on lesson in democracy. Led by Chief Deputy Clerk Rosangela Ortiz and Voter Outreach Coordinator Margaret Gouws, the session introduced students to civics, the upcoming Regular Local Election, and how Ranked Choice Voting works. Students marked sample ballots and cast them on certified voting machines, voting on lighthearted topics like favorite ice cream flavor and favorite day of the week.
 The experience resonated with many. Eleventh grader Juan Portillo-Batista said he learned the importance of local elections and thought “it was pretty neat to get a glimpse into adult life.” His classmate Jiali Gonzalez called it “a great opportunity to open our eyes to the world of voting and that our opinion matters.” Senior Johnathan Hernandez added that voting often feels intimidating for young people, but opportunities like Democracy 101 help break down those barriers. He even pre-registered to vote at the event, noting he’ll just make the cutoff to participate in the Nov. 4 election.
“By giving students practice with the voting process, we’re helping ensure that when they turn 18, they’re ready to make their voices heard,” Clerk Clark said.
Democracy 101 is part of a suite of youth engagement programs, alongside KidsVote, the Sticker Contest, and the Youth Engagement Advisory Board.
Capital High Students Lead the Way in Voter Registration
In September, the Clerk’s Office partnered with the League of Women Voters and Capital High School to train six students as certified Voter Registration Agents (VRAs).
Led by Deputy Clerk Rosangela Ortiz and supported by Clerk’s Office staff, the students gained the skills and certification to conduct voter registration events on campus. At their first drive, they collected 45 paper registrations and directed another 88 individuals to register online at NMVote.org.
“This is a powerful example of how partnerships can engage young people directly in the democratic process,” said Clerk Clark.
The program is part of our commitment to youth civic engagement, joining efforts like Democracy101, KidsVote, and the Sticker Contest.
Clerk’s Office at the PLEJ Conference
This month, Supervisor of the Bureau of Elections Andrea Tapia and Voter Outreach Coordinator Margaret Gouws represented the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office at the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ) Summer 2025 Convening in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As one of the original six founding counties for PLEJ, we’re proud to continue to support this organization.
Election leaders from across the country gathered to share strategies on election security, technology, and community engagement. Sessions covered lessons from abroad—including Finland’s approach to building public trust through media literacy education—and from states across the U.S., such as innovative ways to recruit younger poll workers, manage misinformation, and strengthen crisis communication.
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Key themes included:
- Trust and transparency: Public confidence is strongest when election officials communicate openly, clearly, and often.
- Partnerships that work: Local offices are most resilient when they invest in community organizations, schools, and even unexpected allies—from sports teams to rideshare companies—to reach voters.
- Future-proofing elections: As threats grow more complex, counties are turning to creative solutions—such as AI guardrails, new approaches to poll worker pay, and building office-wide skills to reduce reliance on a single staffer.
“We’re excited to bring these ideas back to Santa Fe County to better serve our voters,” said Tapia and Gouws.
By engaging with national peers, our office continues to ensure that Santa Fe County remains at the forefront of election integrity, innovation, and community trust.
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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