Fair Districts For New Mexico (FDNM) Summary of the Redistricting Session  
updated 12/26/21

Below was the request of FDNM to the Legislature concerning the special session on redistricting:

A.    Select the Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) maps which best balance:
        compliance with the Voting Rights Act; freedom from partisan gerrymandering; protection of
        communities of interest; adherence to governmental boundaries including Tribal boundaries; and no
        favoring incumbents.

B.     If the Legislature amends the maps sent to them by the CRC they should provide detailed

         explanation of why they amended the maps. This should be any changes made to maps since the

         maps could not legally be amended. (We were told by the Senate leadership to file an IPRA request. To paraphrase journalist Gwyneth Doland, - that’s a hard no)

C.     During the Special Session on Redistricting all legislative meetings should follow the

          letter and spirit of the Open Meetings Act. The public’s business should be conducted in

          full public view. The actions of the public bodies should be taken openly and all

          deliberations made open to the public.

Note: Throughout the cycle from the New Mexico First Task Force in 2020, the passing of the Redistricting Act in 2021, the appointments to the CRC and throughout the CRC process, Fair Districts for New Mexico advocated for and supported the inclusion of Native American voices. CRC Senate Concept maps A-1 and C-1 both included Native American consensus. We are pleased that the New Mexico House and Senate final maps include Native American consensus. Any criticism of the process should not be construed as criticism of that inclusion.

 

Here is where the redistricting stands at the end of the session – updated 12/26/21

HOUSE

               The House filed all CRC maps for both the House and Public Education Commission
 HB8 was based on CRC House map E-1, but incorporated Native American consensus that had not been reached before the CRC adjourned. HB 8 has passed both chambers and is on the Governor’s desk.
HB9 for the Public Education Commission is based on CRC Concept E-! passed both chambers with minor changes and has been signed by the Governor.
The House passed SB1 – Congressional Redistricting that come over from the Senate. It has been signed by the Governor.
The House passed SB2 – Senate maps that came over from the Senate

SENATE
The Senate was charged with initiating the legislation for New Mexico Senate and Congressional maps. We are displeased that the Senate did not file CRC maps for either the NM Senate or Congress. At a minimum, the public had a right to see these introduced.
SB1 – Congressional map was written behind closed doors and had to be revised after resistance from the public. It passed both the Senate and House and has been signed by the Governor.
SB2 – Senate District map was also written behind closed doors in the Democratic caucus and in our analysis was mainly devised for incumbency protection. In fact, at hearings many legislators said as much. It was stated that SB2 was based upon CRC Concept C-1 and the sponsors bragged it contained 68% of CRC Concept C-1. Note  both CRC maps A-1 and C-1 had included Native American consensus.
In Senate Judiciary a substitute for SB2 was proposed that eliminated the last incumbent pairing, but in the process altered Native American consensus. Luckily that was overturned with a Senate floor substitute. SB2 has passed both chambers and is on the desk of the Governor.