Representatives from the Sandoval County Native American Voting Rights Program will be providing voter education at this year’s county fair. 

The Native American Voting Rights Program was created to ensure that the county’s Native American population has equal access to all phases of the electoral process. However, it doesn’t mean the program provides services solely to Native Americans.

At the county fair, as they do at many other community events, program representatives will answer questions about the voting process for all citizens. They also can assist citizens with voter registration.

The Sandoval County Fair runs from July 27 through August 2, 2015. 

The program reps’ attendance at the fair is in line with the variety of services they offer around the county throughout the year. These services include voter education and awareness training and voter registration drives. Voting rights coordinators travel across the county throughout the year conducting election-focused presentations, workshops and training sessions at schools, community centers, senior centers and other venues such as community health fairs and conferences.

When necessary, the voting rights coordinators also translate election-related material—including ballots—into the appropriate Native language (Keres, Towa, and Navajo).

All information provided by the voting rights coordinators is non-partisan. They never advise voters—including those needing language translation assistance—on which candidates or ballot questions to select.

“We see the county fair as a place to raise awareness about voting process among a broad spectrum of the Sandoval County community, including natives and non-natives,” said Jaime Pino, the Keres Voting Rights Coordinator. “We hope people will stop by our booth at the fair, particularly those who are not yet registered to vote. There’s a big election coming up next year, and everyone should have their voice heard by exercising their right to vote.”