Bringing hands-on democracy lessons to Santa Fe County students

#Democracy101 is our award-winning high school outreach program, recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACo) in 2023 for Best in Category in Civic Education and Public Information. Students get a behind-the-scenes look at how elections work in Santa Fe County — from casting a ballot to seeing how votes are counted. We bring our team, one of our official election tabulators, and a full mock election directly to local schools so students can experience democracy in action.

During a #Democracy101 visit, students:

• Participate in a mock election using an official election tabulator.
• Meet County Clerk Katharine E. Clark and members of the elections team.
• Learn how ballots are processed, counted, and secured.
• Ask questions about voting, registration, and careers in public service.

Interested in a #Democracy101 visit?

We partner with high schools across Santa Fe County to bring this program into government, civics, and social studies classrooms, as well as advisory periods and special assemblies.

To coordinate a #Democracy101 outreach event at your school, please contact our Elections Outreach Team:

Email: elections@santafecountynm.gov
Phone: (505) 986-6269

You can also read more about the program here:
NACo Award Description  |  #Democracy101 Press Release (PDF)