Steven Carrillo

Steven Carrillo

Democratic Party

New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

4

Predecessor

Tim Crone

Prior offices

Santa Fe Public Schools school board District 1

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Per diem

$95

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Loyola Marymount University, 1981

Personal

Birthplace

Los Angeles, Calif.

Religion

Jewish

Profession

Contract negotiator

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Steven Carrillo (Democratic Party) is a member of the New Mexico Public Education Commission, representing District 10. He assumed office on January 1, 2021. His current term ends on December 31, 2028.

Carrillo (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the New Mexico Public Education Commission to represent District 10. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Steven Carrillo was born in Los Angeles, California. Carrillo earned a bachelor's degree in communication arts from Loyola Marymount University in 1981. His career experience includes working in union organizing and contract negotiating and in the food and beverage industry. Carrillo is a member of the Interfaith Coalition for Public Education of Santa Fe.

Political career

New Mexico Public Education Commission (2021-present)

Carrillo was elected to the commission in November 2020 and assumed office in January 2021.

Elections

2024

See also: New Mexico Public Education Commission election, 2024

General election

General election for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

Incumbent Steven Carrillo won election in the general election for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Carrillo (D)	100.0	77,686

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 77,686
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

Incumbent Steven Carrillo advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Carrillo	100.0	22,385

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,385
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Carrillo in this election.

2020

See also: New Mexico Public Education Commission election, 2020

General election

General election for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

Steven Carrillo won election in the general election for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Carrillo (D)	100.0	82,140

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 82,140
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

Steven Carrillo defeated Leanne Christine Salazar Montoya and William Luther Humbert in the Democratic primary for New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Carrillo (Write-in)	57.4	3,894
		Leanne Christine Salazar Montoya (Write-in)	39.0	2,646
	Submit photo	William Luther Humbert (Write-in)	3.6	241

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,781
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2015

See also: Santa Fe Public Schools elections (2015)

The election in Santa Fe Public Schools featured three of the five board seats up for general election on February 3, 2015. Incumbents Steven Carrillo and Linda Trujillo from Districts 1 and 4, respectively, sought re-election unopposed and won. District 2 incumbent Glenn Wikle declined to seek another term. Due to redistricting he would have had to face Carillo for the District 1 seat. Maureen P. Cashmon and Peter Robert Mitchell vied for the open seat, and Cashmon won the election.

Results

Santa Fe Public Schools, District 1 General Election, 4-year term, 2015
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Steven Carrillo Incumbent	100%	870
Total Votes				870
Source: Santa Fe County Clerk, "Official Results," accessed February 25, 2015

Funding

The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office requires school board candidates in districts with an enrollment of 12,000 students or more to file an annual report each year. Candidates running for a seat on this district's school board had to file that annual report by April 13, 2015.

Endorsements

Carrillo did not receive any official endorsements for this election.

2011

Santa Fe Public Schools, District 1 General Election, 4-year term, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Steven J. Carrillo	53.2%	868
	Nonpartisan	Carl R. Luff	29.2%	476
	Nonpartisan	Mary Ellen Gonzales	16.9%	275
	Nonpartisan	Alexis C. Lotero	0.7%	12
Total Votes				1,631
Source: Santa Fe County Clerk, "2011 Santa Fe School District Election Results," accessed December 16, 2014

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Steven Carrillo did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Steven Carrillo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Carrillo's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a person of high integrity, dedication, and empathy. Boundless energy. Uncompromising commitment to do the right thing, especially if it's for kids and public education.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Kids first. No politics!
• Effeciency rules. Serve your constituents, not yourself.
• Act with integrity. Tell the truth. Always do the right thing even though it may not me the most politically pragmatic.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Kids and public education. It's the foundation of everything. And, I mean, everything.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Leadership. Innovation. Creativity. Compromise. Patience. The PEC is stuck. I believe I can be an important and influential member building the necessary coalition to move us forward and support our state public charter schools. Kids first. No politics.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My mother, Bobbie. She has since past. She instilled in me the importance of social responsibility and public service. There are certainly many guiding principles that I've carried into my entire adult life.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I read a great deal about U.S. history. My favorite author in this area is probably Jon Meacham. Not just for his ideology and smarts, but how he makes everything relevant. My latest read by him, "The Soul of America; a Battle for Our Better Angels," is stellar. And, so well cited.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, dedication. This can't be a passing fancy or a hobby. You have to be committed to learning and to serving If your not, don't get out of bed in the morning.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

By statute, it's authorizing, renewing, and when absolutely necessary, closing charter schools. But using the power of the office that is not limited by statute, we can be much better servants to our schools and their directors. Let's remember, we are public servants. In this four year term, I would develop a five-year strategic plan as well as policies and guidelines that actually support our schools and our kids. I would streamline procedures schools are forced to follow and where possible, eliminate the redundancies. Let's make life a little simpler for our school directors. Remember all the time and money spent complying with superfluous tasks to appease the commission, is time and money taken directly from the classroom. Again, kids first.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Increasing the quality of education in New Mexico - Our traditional public schools as well as our state public charter schools. To be remembered for, "It's all about the kids."

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King. I was eight at the time. And then the Vietnam War, ages 8 to 15. Still shapes who I am and how I think.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Bennett's Ice Cream Shop - Two summers and some weekends during the school year. I was 14/15.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - It's the relationship between the father and the son that is so captivating and so releveant. You have no idea how much love you are capable of until you have children. And, all of this against the backdrop of nuclear fallout.

On the history side, it would be the aforementioned book by Jon Meacham, "The Soul of America." I have to give honorable mention to, "The Autobiography of Malcom X." A life changer. Also honorable mention to, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry," by Alex de Grasse Tyson.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Any character where I'm the protagonist in the fight for good against evil.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin. Just watched a documentary about the break-up of the band last night. Tragic.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Kids and families first. Making sure our state's public charter schools are excellent, accountable, and places of joyous learning and exploration.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Given that most people don't even know this office exists, no. But I believe the commission has the ability to form policies and guidelines to support our schools rather than have them be stuck in an administrative quagmire which doesn't serve our kids. That the commission hasn't done so for over a decade, is why I'm running.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

No, but it certainly helps. Mostly commissioners need to me dedicated to prioritizing kids and their schools first. In this arena, all to often people are playing politics and taking sides; pro-charter v. anti charter. I'm pro kid and pro good schools. It's really that simple.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Open to the idea of, "what's possible." Patience in working with others to innovate and formulate policies and procedures for our schools and their Directors is imperative. Knowledge of the education system in New Mexico and the budgetary process are critical. This I have in droves.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Steven Carrillo campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10	Won general	$8,539	$12,932
Grand total			$8,539	$12,932
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

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New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Tim Crone (D)	New Mexico Public Education Commission District 10 2021-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Santa Fe Public Schools school board District 1 2011	Succeeded by -