January Wrap-Up Newsletter

February 2, 2026

As the 2026 election year begins, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office continues its work to educate voters, support election workers, and strengthen civic engagement across the community. January was a busy and productive month that included hands-on outreach across Santa Fe County, statewide collaboration with fellow election officials, and recognition for ongoing efforts to improve election administration. With the legislative session underway, the Clerk’s Office is also closely monitoring proposed legislation that could impact future elections, while remaining focused on voter education, accessibility, and election preparedness.

What's New at the Clerk's Office?

Democracy101 Comes to the New Mexico School for the Arts

At the end of January, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office brought its Democracy 101 program to the New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA), engaging high school seniors in hands-on civic education ahead of the 2026 elections.

Over two days, students participated in interactive lessons covering what will be on the ballot in the 2026 Primary and General Elections, how New Mexico’s new semi-open primary system works, voter rights and election security, and the different ways to vote in New Mexico.

Many students were eligible to vote for the first time this year, and several registered during the event. Students also took part in a mock election using official voting equipment and received one of our popular student-designed “I Voted” stickers. Programs like Democracy 101 help ensure young voters feel confident, informed, and prepared to participate when Election Day arrives.

Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office Receives Two National People’s Choice Awards

In January, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office was honored with two 2026 People’s Choice Awards from Election Center, the National Association for Election Officials, recognizing innovative work in election accuracy, transparency, and voter experience.

The Clerk’s Office was recognized for Machine-Assisted Hand Tally: Santa Fe County’s Digital Accuracy and Bipartisan Verification, an award celebrating Santa Fe County’s leadership in ensuring ballots can be counted with 100% accuracy even when machine tabulation is unavailable. Designed by Clerk Katharine E. Clark and implemented in partnership with election technology vendor ROBIS, the process standardizes hand tally procedures while maintaining human oversight and bipartisan verification. Since implementation, the Clerk’s Office has reduced hand tally error rates from approximately four percent to zero, strengthening auditability and public trust.

The office also received a People’s Choice Award for Calm at the Polls, a coordinated early voting initiative launched in 2024 to reduce confusion, lower tension at polling locations, and proactively counter misinformation. The program brought together several voter-focused efforts — including KidsVote, Paws at the Polls, and the Drop, Don’t Mail campaign — to create a calmer, more welcoming voting environment while encouraging timely ballot returns.

The People’s Choice Awards allow election officials nationwide to directly recognize outstanding work by their peers. Receiving two awards reflects the Clerk’s Office’s continued commitment to secure, transparent elections and thoughtful voter engagement, as well as the dedication of staff who work year-round to support voters and election workers across Santa Fe County.

Legislative Session Update: Tracking Constitutional Amendments

During the 2026 Legislative Session, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office is tracking legislation that could impact future elections — particularly proposed constitutional amendments that may appear on the General Election ballot.

One key measure currently being monitored is Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1), which was initiated with support from the Clerks’ Affiliate during the 2025 Legislative Session. The Clerk’s Office appreciates the continued leadership of Senator Linda Trujillo in carrying the resolution, as well as the collaboration of the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

SJR 1 proposes an amendment to the New Mexico Constitution that would remove the requirement for school elections to be held separately from partisan elections. If approved by the Legislature, the measure would be placed on a future general election ballot for voters to decide.

In addition to SJR 1, the Clerk’s Office continues to monitor other election-related legislation as it moves through committees. When appropriate, the Clerks’ Affiliate may request that New Mexico Counties take a formal position on legislation to ensure local election officials’ perspectives are represented. The Clerk’s Office will continue to track legislative activity and share updates as they become relevant to Santa Fe County voters.

Clerk’s Affiliate Leadership Updates

Earlier this month, the New Mexico Association of Counties Clerk’s Affiliate announced new leadership during the NM Legislative Conference. Rosangela Ortiz was re-elected unopposed as Chair. Ortiz serves as Chief Deputy of the Bureau of Elections for Santa Fe County and brings extensive operational experience, technical expertise, and a statewide leadership perspective to the role.

The bipartisan leadership team continues its work to support county clerks through collaboration, policy guidance, and best practices. The Affiliate has expanded its efforts through new statewide committees focused on legislative policy coordination, administrative rules and best practices, and public records and IPRA guidance — strengthening county operations and services across New Mexico.

Recognizing Help America Vote Day

On January 27, the Clerk’s Office recognized Help America Vote Day, a national initiative dedicated to honoring election workers and encouraging civic participation.

Election workers play a critical role in ensuring elections are secure, accurate, and accessible. From preparing polling locations to assisting voters and verifying ballots, their work helps maintain trust in the democratic process.

As part of this recognition, the Clerk’s Office highlighted opportunities for community members to get involved as election workers and learn more about how elections are administered in Santa Fe County.

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