 Santa Fe County Celebrates Successful General Election as Voter Participation Surpasses 2022
More than 71,000 ballots cast, nearly 57% of votes cast early in person, and Santa Fe County among the first two counties to report election-night results statewide.
Santa Fe, NM -
The Santa Fe County Clerk's Office is celebrating the successful administration of the November 3, 2026 General Election, with preliminary turnout exceeding the total number of ballots cast in the 2022 midterm election.
More than 71,100 Santa Fe County residents cast ballots, surpassing the approximately 69,800 ballots cast in the 2022 General Election. The increase in voter participation followed extensive voter outreach effort by the Clerk's Office that emphasized the convenience of early voting, expanded bilingual voter assistance, and proactive communication with absentee voters.
Nearly 57% of all ballots were cast early in person, reflecting the strong use of voting options available before Election Day.
The office expressed its sincere gratitude to Santa Fe County voters, 450 election workers, permanent and temporary staff, and other county departments whose participation, professionalism, and dedication made the election possible.
"This election was the culmination of months of planning, training, testing, and coordination by an extraordinary team of public servants," said Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine E. Clark. "We are especially pleased that more Santa Fe County residents cast ballots than in the last midterm election. Our office believes in continuous improvement, and every election is an opportunity to find new ways to make voting more convenient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of our community. I want to thank the voters who participated, our election workers who served their communities, and our staff who worked tirelessly to make this election a success."
2026 General Election by the Numbers*
- 71,170 ballots cast, exceeding the approximately 69,813 ballots cast in the 2022 General Election by over 1,350 ballots, an increase of approximately 1.9%.
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Approximately 59.7% voter turnout among eligible voters.
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40,375 early in-person voters, representing 56.8% of all ballots cast.
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21,440 Election Day voters, representing 30.1% of all ballots cast.
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9,355 absentee voters, representing 13.1% of all ballots cast.
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69.9% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day, combining early in-person and absentee voting.
- Santa Fe County was one of two counties included in the first statewide release of unofficial election results on the Secretary of State's website.
* 2026 figures are preliminary and subject to reconciliation and certification.
Making Voting More Convenient Through Early Voting and Proactive Outreach
The Santa Fe County Clerk's Office placed a particular emphasis on encouraging voters to take advantage of the convenience and flexibility of early voting.
Rather than relying solely on traditional election notices, the office developed and implemented a coordinated advertising and voter information campaign promoting early voting opportunities. Consistent messaging across advertising, digital communications, and public information materials emphasized that voters could cast their ballots before Election Day, choose convenient voting locations, and avoid potential Election Day crowds.
More than 40,000 Santa Fe County voters ultimately cast their ballots early in person, accounting for 56.8% of all votes cast in the election.
The office also implemented additional voter service initiatives designed to help residents navigate the election and successfully return their ballots.
Key initiatives included:
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Coordinated early-voting advertising campaign: Developed and deployed a coordinated voter information and advertising campaign emphasizing the convenience, flexibility, and accessibility of early voting.
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Consistent public messaging: Reinforced early-voting information across communication channels to help voters understand their options, locate voting sites, and make plans to vote.
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Bilingual voter help desk: Hired bilingual personnel to answer voter questions, assist residents with election information, and help English- and Spanish-speaking voters navigate the voting process. The help desk also assisted voters with questions about same-day voter registration, which generated substantial interest.
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Proactive absentee voter follow-up: Conducted follow-up calls to voters who had requested absentee ballots to ensure they understood how and where to return their completed ballots before the deadline.
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Convenient absentee ballot returns: Maintained nine secure absentee ballot drop boxes to make returning absentee ballots more convenient.
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Accessible voter information: Offered election information, voting convenience center locations, and voter assistance to help residents understand their choices and access voting services.
"Our goal was to make it as easy as possible for eligible residents to participate," said Santa Fe County Deputy Clerk Rosangela Ortiz. "We didn't just tell voters when Election Day was. We actively promoted the convenience of voting early, made sure voters had access to bilingual assistance, and followed up with absentee voters so they understood how to return their ballots. These efforts reflect our commitment to meeting voters where they are, answering their questions, and reducing unnecessary barriers to participation."
Thanking Santa Fe County's Election Workers, Staff, and Voters
The Santa Fe County Clerk's Office extended its deepest appreciation to the 450 election workers who supported the election, including presiding judges, election judges, clerks, absentee ballot board members, and other election personnel.
These workers serve voters at voting convenience centers throughout Santa Fe County, including in rural communities where travel distances can be significant. Many begin their work well before polls open and continue long after voting ends, completing the required closing procedures and returning election materials. Some election workers face drives of approximately an hour and a half to return election materials to the Clerk's Office after polls close.
The office also recognized its permanent and temporary staff, whose efforts began months before Election Day and continue through the canvassing and certification process.
Staff responsibilities included recruiting and training election workers, preparing voting locations, maintaining voter registration records, testing election equipment, managing absentee voting, staffing the bilingual voter help desk, coordinating voter communications, supporting voting convenience centers, and reporting results.
The Clerk's Office also expressed gratitude to other Santa Fe County departments whose assistance, resources, and coordination helped make the election possible, as well as community partners and facilities that hosted voting locations.
"Election workers and staff are the foundation of a successful election," Ortiz said. "Many of our election workers put in extraordinarily long days, and our staff spent months preparing for every detail. We also depend on the cooperation and support of other county departments and community partners. They bring patience, professionalism, and a real commitment to serving voters. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time and expertise. Most importantly, we thank the voters of Santa Fe County for participating and making their voices heard."
Continuous Improvement and the Canvassing Process
The Santa Fe County Clerk's Office approaches every election as an opportunity to evaluate its operations, identify improvements, and strengthen the voter experience.
The office will continue reviewing voter participation patterns, voting convenience center operations, outreach effectiveness, voter assistance, and election-night reporting as part of its commitment to continuous improvement.
Although unofficial results have been reported, the election process continues through the official canvass and certification. During the canvass, election records and results are reviewed and reconciled according to New Mexico law.
The State Board of Canvass is scheduled to meet November 24, 2026, to certify the General Election results.
Unofficial Election Results:
Santa Fe County Election Information
Santa Fe County Voter Turnout Dashboard:
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