Santa Fe 2025 Elections

Join us to build trust and deepen connections and grow our power.

Voter Education

Empowering informed voters to increase turnout across New Mexico.

Find Your Why

You can make a difference. Your participation can make your life and your neighborhood better (trash pickup, parks, schools, housing affordability).

You can build your knowledge, skills, and power by learning how local decisions affect rent, streets, traffic, safety. Build leadership skills, public speaking, and organizing skills.

Meet and grow relationships with your neighbors. This builds social capital (networking for jobs, childcare swaps, local resources) and makes stronger, safer communities. We all thrive when we belong.

This is easy. We're keeping it short and simple with — “5 minutes to learn, 5 minutes to share.” Join how you can and where you can.

Nothing is inevitable. Believe in what we can build together.

A civic culture where democracy truly lives in the places we live — and everyone feels they belong.

Your guide to showing up, learning, and making your voice count in Santa Fe’s 2025 election.

What’s This All About?

Elections aren’t just about casting a ballot—they’re about being part of the conversation along the way. In Santa Fe, there are lots of opportunities to hear from candidates, ask questions, and connect with your neighbors before the November 2025 municipal election.

Civics Bingo makes it easy—and fun—to keep track of the forums and events you attend. Check off your squares, and you’ll see how much you’re learning and contributing to our local democracy.

How It Works

Grab your card. Print one at home or keep a digital copy.

Show up. Attend candidate forums, debates, or community conversations—online or in person.

Check in afterward. After each event we'll post a Google form to track your participation and give feedback.

Keep going. The more you participate, the closer you get to filling your passport or completing a “Bingo.”

Celebrate. Backyard Democracy will recognize participants who hit milestones (like 3, 5, or 8 events).

Why It Matters

Every time you show up, you’re not just listening to candidates—you’re strengthening our democracy. When more of us are informed and connected, our leaders are more accountable and our community is stronger.

By tracking participation, we’ll also be able to see the collective impact Santa Fe voters are making this election season.

For Virtual Participants

We know not everyone can attend in person. That’s why our Civic Engagement Check-In Google Form allows for feedback even if you attended virtually. You can even share a selfie to celebrate your civic pride! Tag us and use the hashtag #BackyardDemocracy and #SantaFeCivics

Incentives + Recognition

To keep it fun, we’ll be sharing small tokens of appreciation along the way. Keep an eye out!

Get Started

Download the Santa Fe Civics Bingo Card below in color or in black and white (Spanish version coming soon) or fill it out digitally in Adobe Acrobat.

Upcoming Forums + Events

We’ll keep an updated list of forums, debates, and candidate meetups right here so you know where to show up.

Join the Movement

Backyard Democracy is all about reclaiming the everyday spaces where democracy happens—whether that’s your living room, your library, or your ballot box. By showing up together, we remind each other that our voices matter.

Santa Fe Civics Bingo

2025 Edition

Why it works:

• People trust who they know. Small, familiar spaces are powerful places to start.

• Local change ripples outward. Engaged neighborhoods lead to engaged cities.

• Everyone can take part. Whether you have a backyard, a balcony, or a sidewalk out front —

  this is for you

How we do it:

• Host micro-meetups, porch talks, sidewalk pop-ups, & chalk campaigns.

• Share simple toolkits so anyone can start conversations & projects.

• Celebrate local leaders with digital badges & spotlights.

• Move from talk to collective action, step by step.

See One. Do One. Teach One.

We start with foundational workshops: Small, friendly gatherings (in homes, community centers, parks, cafes) that break down how voting works, what’s on the ballot, and why local decisions matter.

Each participant becomes a messenger: They get resources, talking points, and invitations to host their own conversations — whether it’s at a dinner table, on a walk, or in a WhatsApp group.

We train local trainers: Volunteers can take short facilitator trainings so they’re ready to lead sessions themselves — with toolkits, slides, and bilingual materials to make it easy.

It multiplies naturally: Each new host brings in their friends, who may then host their own gatherings. The network grows by relationship and trust, not just by ads or cold calls.

We support & celebrate: We track milestones (like new voters registered, first-time voters, or new trainers recruited), send out thank yous, hold appreciation events, and keep the momentum joyful.

We’re building a growing circle of neighbors who learn, talk, and take action together — starting with simple, low-key gatherings right here in Santa Fe.

Host a small chat, join a local meet-up, or just grab our easy guides to start your own convo. It’s fun, it’s important, & it all starts with you.

Looking to get connected?

Attend a local event: Find a pop-up workshop, picnic, or skill share near you.

Host your own: We’ll give you everything you need — from talking points to printables.

Volunteer: Help spread the word, design graphics, or set up for an event.