Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office Recognized Nationally with U.S. Election Assistance Commission Clearinghouse Awards
Santa Fe County, NM – The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office has been recognized by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in the 2025 Clearinghouse Awards, also known nationally as the “Clearies,” for outstanding innovation and leadership in election administration.
The office received a Clearinghouse Award in the Accessibility category for its work improving voting access for voters with disabilities, and an Honorable Mention in the Communications category for its Ranked Choice Voting voter education initiative during the 2025 Regular Local Election.
Presented annually by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the Clearinghouse Awards recognize best practices in election administration from jurisdictions across the country. This year’s awards received nearly 200 submissions nationwide.
Accessibility: Best Practices for Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office was recognized for a community-informed accessibility initiative designed to help voters with disabilities better navigate the voting process before arriving at the polls. The initiative included an “Accessible Voting in Santa Fe County” webpage serving as a centralized hub for accessibility information, ASL voting resources created in partnership with the New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, detailed Voting Site Guides for every polling location with photos and accessibility information, FAQs, and the creation of a Disability Access Advisory Board to ensure improvements are guided by lived experience. Together, these efforts help reduce barriers, improve transparency, and make voting more accessible for all voters.
Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives (Honorable Mention)
The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office also received honorable mention recognition for its Ranked Choice Voting voter education initiative implemented ahead of Santa Fe’s 2025 Regular Local Election. To help voters become familiar with Ranked Choice Voting before ballots were cast, the office incorporated hands-on RCV education into existing outreach programs, including KidsVote and Democracy101, as well as interactive community contests like the county’s “I Voted” Sticker Contest and ballot sorter naming contest. Residents were able to practice ranking candidates and watch live round-by-round tabulation demonstrations in real time. Following the election, the office used similar visual tools to display the official Ranked Choice Voting tabulation results, helping voters better understand how votes were counted and redistributed throughout each round. Together, these efforts helped reduce confusion around a new voting system while strengthening transparency and public trust in the election process.
Clerk Katharine E. Clark emphasized that both recognitions reflect the collaborative work of staff, community partners, and advisory board members across the county.
“These awards are truly a reflection of teamwork,” said Clerk Clark. “From accessibility improvements to voter education, this work only happens because of the creativity, dedication, and collaboration of our staff and community partners. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished together and grateful to everyone who helped make these initiatives possible.”
“These programs succeeded because so many people across the office contributed their time, expertise, and ideas,” Clark said. “It shows what local government can accomplish when people work together with a shared commitment to serving voters.”
EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks, Vice Chair Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland issued the following joint statement regarding this year’s award recipients:
“We congratulate this year’s Clearinghouse Award winners for their exceptional programs. We received nearly 200 entries from across the country, and these were the most innovative and creative ways state and local election officials supported voters in 2025. The winning programs also stood out because they can be replicated and scaled to meet the needs of other election offices, regardless of size or resources, for future elections.”
More information about the EAC Clearinghouse Awards is available at eac.gov/clearies.
Important Election Dates
May 5, 2026 – Early voting begins at the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office.
May 5, 2026 – Absentee (mail-in) ballots begin mailing to voters who have requested them.
May 16, 2026 – Expanded early voting begins at additional early voting locations throughout the county.
May 19, 2026 – Last day to request an absentee (mail-in) ballot (must be received by this date).
May 25, 2026 – Polls are closed for Memorial Day.
May 30, 2026 – Last day of early voting at expanded early voting locations.
June 2, 2026 – Primary Election Day (Polls open 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.).
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