Protecting
our freedoms

Sarah Silva

Meet Sarah

Sarah Angelina Silva was born in Vado, NM and raised in the Mesilla Valley. Sarah was raised with her sister Katie in a farming community that instilled in her the values of honesty, integrity, hard work, and optimism. A graduate of the University of San Francisco, Sarah won the Pedro Arrupe award – an award given for the promotion of justice and desire to seek the greatest good. Sarah has applied the values she learned growing up to her work as an organizer around the country, where she has successfully organized campaigns that generate progress for people. Sarah moved back to the Mesilla Valley in 2009 after finishing college and organizing in the Bay area. She has lived in House District 53 for more than seven years with her partner Heath, her daughter Eva, and his daughter Lily.

Sarah’s passion for organizing her communities has led her to a life of service. She has worked tirelessly with stakeholders in New Mexico to successfully organize campaigns including raising the minimum wage in Las Cruces, sustaining housing for people who need it most, designating the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks as a national monument, incorporating Anthony, NM as city, and supporting young immigrants applying for DACA. Sarah currently owns her own consulting business and spends her time training and coaching community-oriented people and organizations. Sarah is currently a board member of the Native Land Institute.

“Residents of House District 53 deserve a courageous and thoughtful leader, not just another politician. Together, we can create positive change in our communities by changing our attitudes about what is possible and what is inevitable.”

- Sarah Angelina Silva

Sarah’s Vision For House District 53

Expanding Infrastructure

Infrastructure is the key leading our communities into the future. Sarah is ready to invest in our future:

  • Investing in roads, including supporting the transit needs of Las Cruces’ fastest growing area and identifying roads in the Chaparral area that need upgraded to improve safety and create new economic opportunities

  • Infrastructure: Investing in public libraries and community centers and, particularly in Chaparral, much-needed water, sewer, and gas lines

  • Putting people to work: Supporting people to fill the worker gap in the construction trades over the next 10 years with apprenticeships

Highway 404 between Anthony and Chaparral

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

As a small business owner, Sarah is ready to bring innovative solutions that lead Southern New Mexico into the future:

  • Fighting for higher wages and incentivizing more union and trade-school jobs, including apprentice and pre-apprenticeship programs

  • Creating the conditions for small business to build, grow, and scale through infrastructure development, bringing more jobs to Chaparral and the Las Cruces areas

  • Helping local people gain the skills to compete for the new high-wage tech and creative economy jobs coming to Southern New Mexico

The construction of Burrell College in Las Cruces

INVESTing IN CHILDREN

As a parent, Sarah knows the importance of ensuring kids have what they need to succeed in school and life:

  • Championing our successes with early childhood education like home visiting programs to ensure that children are getting a good start, and extending after-school programs that help our kids stay active and healthy

  • Supporting thriving learning environments: Working with local school districts to understand the needs of each school, ensuring that schools have clean indoor air to reduce illness, and effectively recruiting and retaining teachers throughout New Mexico

  • Expanding dual-credit availability for high school students to attend and receive credits from local community colleges

Sarah reading with her daughter and nephew

PUBLIC SAFETY

Sarah understands the importance of keeping one another safe through investing in the policies that create healthy and thriving communities. Together, we will make this a place where our rights are respected and where every one of us can live full and healthy lives, with no exceptions:

  • Ensuring that public dollars are used for front-end resources like affordable housing, youth programs, educational opportunities, and access to mental health services and substance treatment that many of the safest communities already enjoy

  • Supporting ongoing training and accountability for law enforcement to reduce instances of officer-involved shootings

  • Encouraging law enforcement to enforce public safety laws already on the books

A candlelight vigil in Las Cruces

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

As an organizer, Sarah has led successful campaigns to support and build new affordable housing. We can do so much to not only keep New Mexicans in their houses, but help people become homeowners:

  • Prohibiting private equity firms from buying up single-family homes in New Mexico

  • Helping renters understand their rights and implementing rent stabilization while respecting landlords by indexing the cap to inflation

  • Identifying resources to finance land purchases so municipalities can build affordable housing to meet demand

A neighborhood in Las Cruces

HEALTHCARE

Far too many Americans do not have access to quality care. This includes access to an abortion, behavioral and mental health, care for people with disabilities, and even everyday care. Let’s set the standard here in New Mexico:

  • Deciding if and when to have a child is the right of those who are pregnant. Abortion will be protected in New Mexico, and we will fight against a national abortion ban.

  • Working to improve transportation in rural areas of the district so people can access health care in nearby population centers of Las Cruces and El Paso

  • Ending private equity firms’ ability to make healthcare decisions for patients, including those with debilitating diseases

Sarah discussing prescription drug prices

Make a donation

Our freedoms are at stake in this election: the freedom to decide whether and when to grow our families, to support and enjoy time with our loved ones, to care for them when they’re sick without losing jobs, and to let our kids be kids and come home safely from school.

As a state representative, Sarah will be dedicated to ensuring our freedoms are protected. No exceptions. Chip in $53, $153, or whatever you can afford to help Sarah become the representative for House District 53.

Sarah with campaign volunteers!

VOlunteer

Interested in helping or campaign? Fill out this form and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you!

Dr. Jon Hill

Dr. Jon Hill

Dr. Jon Hill won the Democratic primary for House District 53 in June. In case you haven’t heard, Jon unfortunately got sick after the election and had to withdraw from the race. Sadly, he died a couple of weeks after withdrawing.

Before he passed, Jon endorsed me to replace him on the ballot. A Democratic Party committee made up of five people from Las Cruces and three from Chaparral voted unanimously to put me on the ballot over the other two candidates who applied.

I’m sad that Jon was not able to finish this campaign. I voted for him in the primary because of his plans and commitments, including his support for the Paid Family Medical Leave Act. When he endorsed me to take his place on the ballot, Jon said, “Sarah shares my vision for long-term economic and social growth while building on our strengths to improve the quality of life for all New Mexicans.”

I am committed to carrying Jon’s vision with me to the Roundhouse. Rest in power, Jon! Thank you for your work to give this district the representation it deserves.

Endorsements

  • Dr. Jon Hill

    Dr. Jon Hill

    Former Candidate (RIP)

  • State Rep. Joanne Ferrary

    Joanne Ferrary

    NM State Representative

  • State Rep. Nathan Small

    Nathan Small

    NM State Representative

  • State Sen. Jeff Steinborn

    Jeff Steinborn

    NM State Senator

  • Sierra Club

    Sierra Club

  • Care for NM

    Care for NM

  • Planned Parenthood

    Planned Parenthood

  • NMVC Action Fund

    New Mexico Voices for Children

  • CWA Local 7076

    CWA Local 7076

  • Conservation Voters New Mexico Action Fund

    CVNM Action Fund

    Conservation Voters New Mexico

  • Animal Protection Voters NM

    Animal Protection Voters NM

Contact

I will work with anyone who has an interest in making District 53 a place where people can thrive. I have an open-door policy. Please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at 575-343-2029, or email me at sarah@newmexicansforsarah.com.

If you live in Doña Ana County:

STARTING OCT. 8

Doña Ana County Government Center
845 N. Motel Blvd. in Las Cruces
Mondays through Fridays from 8 am to 5 pm
Oct. 8 to Nov. 1 (Closed Oct. 14)
Also Saturday, Nov. 2, 10 am to 6 pm

STARTING OCT. 19

Early voting locations in House District 53:

• Doña Ana Community College - Chaparral
755 Prescott Anthony Dr. in Chaparral

• Doña Ana Community College - East Mesa Campus
2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd. in Las Cruces

Both locations open Tuesdays through Saturdays
Oct. 19 to Nov. 2, from 11 am to 7 pm

Election Day, Nov. 5

Polls open from 7 am to 7 pm
You can vote at any location in the county

Polling places in House District 53:

• Doña Ana Community College - Chaparral
755 Prescott Anthony Dr. in Chaparral

• Doña Ana Community College - East Mesa Campus
2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd. in Las Cruces

• Organ Mountain High School
5700 Mesa Grande Dr. in Las Cruces

• Organ Community Center
5800 2nd St. in Organ

Other polling places near House District 53:

Camino Real Middle School
2961 Roadrunner Pkwy. in Las Cruces

• Desert Hills Elementary School
280 Roadrunner Pkwy. in Las Cruces

• Highland Elementary School
4201 Emerald St. in Las Cruces

• New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
4100 Dripping Springs Rd. in Las Cruces

• Sunrise Elementary School
5300 Holman Rd. in Las Cruces

For complete lists of early and Election Day polling places places throughout the county, absentee voting information, and for any other questions visit donaanacountyelections.com or call the county clerk at (575) 647-7428.

Where to vote

If you live in Otero County:

STARTING OCT. 8

County Administration Building
1101 New York Avenue, Room 101 in Alamogordo
Mondays through Fridays from 8 am to 5 pm
Oct. 8 to Nov. 1 and also Saturday, Nov. 2
ABSENTEE IN-PERSON VOTING ONLY
Absentee ballots may be marked in person
Absentee ballots must be requested by Oct. 22

Starting Oct. 31

Early voting location in House District 53:

Chaparral Far South Fire Station
827 Luna Street in Chaparral

Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, from 8 am to 5 pm

Election Day, Nov. 5

Polls open from 7 am to 7 pm

Polling place in House District 53:

Chaparral Far South Fire Station
827 Luna Street in Chaparral

For complete lists of early and Election Day polling places throughout the county, absentee voting information, and for any other questions visit co.otero.nm.us/225/Clerk or call the county clerk at (575) 437-4942.