Fair Districts for New Mexico

All Citizen Redistricting Committee appointments have been made

See this document: CRCappointments.docx.

Fair Districts for NM is issuing the following statement:

Fair Districts for NM (FDNM), a broad coalition of 26 New Mexico organizations, looks forward to working with the Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) to continue to assure that the redistricting process is fair, transparent and equitable..

FDNM is concerned about the lack of cultural and geographic representation on the CRC. We suggest that the CRC address this issue in their work plan.

Want to do your own redistricting for New Mexico?

The MGGG Lab at Tufts University has been contracted to provide the public with the tools to develop their own maps. The rules on how to submit those maps will be published later.

Want to get a head start? DistrictR.org. Or go straight to the link for New Mexico.

Read about details of the software (PDF).

Want to know more about the Tufts Lab and redistricting? Politico Magazine: Is Gerrymandering About to Become More Difficult?

Redistricting in the News

June 13, 2021 Editorial: Redistricting redux: Voters deserve a do-over By: ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD

June 11, 2021 NM Redistricting Committee Knocked for Lack of Diversity By: Roz Brown

6/9/2021 Speak Up Las Cruces: Redistricting in New Mexico by Walt Rubel and Peter Goodman

June 8, 2021 Redistricting committee leaves too many New Mexicans out By: The Santa Fe New Mexican Editorial Board

June 8, 2021 Redistricting committee lacks hoped-for cultural and geographic diversity By Dan McKay

June 7, 2021 New Mexico's redistricting committee criticized for lack of diversity By Robert Nott

June 7, 2021 Members of redistricting committee chosen By Matthew Reichbach

June 7, 2021 House Speaker Brian Egolf Appoints Former Sen. Michael Sanchez To New Mexico Citizen Redistricting Committee by Carol A. Clark

June 5, 2021 Redistricting advisory panel takes shape in New Mexico, By Associated Press, via KOB4

Jun 4, 2021 Redistricting advisory panel takes shape in New Mexico By Morgan Lee, via the Santa Fe New Mexican

JUN 4, 2021?FRI: Lottery Scholarship Will Cover Full Tuition, Redistricting Advisory Panel Takes Shape, + More By KUNM NEWS

June 4, 2021 President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart Appoints Attorney Lisa Curtis to Citizen Redistricting Committee By: Senate Democrats New Mexico

June 4, 2021 Retired Supreme Court Justice Edward Chávez to head redistricting panel BY DAN MCKAY

June 4, 2021 Redistricting advisory panel takes shape in New Mexico By Morgan Lee

June 4, 2021 Redistricting: Advocates want prisoners counted where they’re from, not incarcerated By Bella Davis

May 4, 2021 New Mexico lawmakers forming panel for redistricting see strong interest By Robert Nott

Apr 24, 2021 Ethics commission seeking applicants for redistricting committee By Sonny Haquani

Apr 6, 2021 Redistricting bill one of 50 signed into law Tuesday by Lujan Grisham By Robert Nott

Redistricting Webinar: People Powered Fair Maps

April 29, 2021:
In a webinar on redistricting, Justice Chavez gave a brief summary of the Citizen Redistricting Committee created by SB304. Peter Wattson discussed other states with similar redistricting models, and gave advice on what we can do to prepare even before the CRC starts.

Watch the video.

Documents for the webinar:

Redistricting Reform Wins!

4/6/21: Redistricting bill one of 50 governor signs today. by: Robert Nott

4/6/21: Gov. signs bills on tax breaks, redistricting. by: Dan Boyd and Dan McKay

3/22/21: N.M. Legislature gets behind only partial mapmaking independence. by: Sara Swann

3/22/21: New Mexico approves independent redistricting panel. by: Reid Wilson

3/22/2021 New Mexico Legislature delivers virus aid, civil rights; falters on pot. by Morgan Lee and Cedar Attanasio

3/21/21 FINAL FLURRY Last-minute deal breaks logjam, clears way for many bills to pass. by Dan McKay and Dan Boyd

3/20/21 State House approves bill creating independent redistricting commission by: Robert Nott

3/20/21 House sends bipartisan redistricting bill to Senate. by: DAN MCKAY

3/20/21 A dramatic finish to New Mexico’s legislative session. by Robert Nott and Daniel Chacon

3/20/21 Legislature Passes Redistricting Committee Legislation With Bipartisan Support. by: Los Alamos Reporter

Redistricting Drama Draws Lines In The Sand

3/9/21 YNMG: Redistricting Drama Draws Lines In The Sand. by Khalil Ekulona

Let's Get It Done

3/12/21: Independent redistricting still alive: let's get it done. by: Santa Fe New Mexican Editorial Board

SB15 Amendments as of 3-8-2021

SB15 Amendments as of 3-8-2021 (PDF, 1.1M).

Video: Redistricting in New Mexico

Credits: voice Rod Kennedy.

Older Media

3/19/21 Every legislative redistricting process needs real transparency. by: Hannah Burling

3/12/21: Time grows thin for two redistricting bills for New Mexico: by: Robert Nott

3/12/21: Independent redistricting still alive: let's get it done. by: Santa Fe New Mexican Editorial Board

3/11/21: Some look to improve independent redistricting proposal. By: Robert Nott

3/11/21: House blocks move to pull NM redistricting out of committee by: Dan McKay

3/11/21: Questions linger over redistricting legislation in New Mexico by: Robert Nott

3/10/21: Bill To Ensure New Mexico Has Independent Redistricting Commission Plan Passes 39-0 In Senate. by: Robert Nott

3/9/21 YNMG: Redistricting Drama Draws Lines In The Sand. by Khalil Ekulona

3/9/21: New Mexico Senate backs independent redistricting commission. by: RobertNott

3/9/21 Redistricting bill reaches Senate floor. by: Walter Rubel

3/9/21: Senate sends redistricting bill to house. by: Dan McKay

3/8/21: Bipartisan redistricting plan moves forward in New Mexico. by: Robert Nott

3/8/2021 Redistricting bill reaches New Mexico Senate floor. by: Walter Rubel

3/6/2021 Redistricting proposal advances to New Mexico Senate Floor. by: Robert Nott

3/6/21: Senate redistricting proposal heads to the Senate floor. by: Robert Nott

3/4/21: Redistricting should be about NM voters, not party, Mr. Speaker. by: Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board

3/2/21: Compromise Redistricting Bill Advances Unanimously from Senate Committee, by: Robert Nott

3/1/21: New Mexico Senate Takes Up Redistricting Reform Bills, by: Robert Nott

3/1/21: Revised bill for independent redistricting advances. by: Dan McKay

2/28/21: Don't leave redistricting in the hands of politicians. by: Editorial Board, Santa Fe New Mexican

2/28/21: Redistricting: We've Heard From Speaker Egolf, Now Let's Hear Sen. Dede Feldman's Very Different View. by: Paul Gibson

2/27/21: Reflections on redistricting: A former senator weighs in. by: Dede Feldman

2/26/21: AAUW supports independent redistricting commission by: Lynn Heffron

2/26/21: New Mexico House speaker draws bipartisan ire over redistricting stance. by: Robert Nott

2/26/21: Dem speaker blasts independent redistricting Speaker Egolf: Legislators can draw fair boundaries. by: Dan McKay

2/19/21: Redistricting reform bills await movement in session, by: Robert Nott

2/18/21: Supporters of redistricting waiting for hearings in New Mexico Legislature. by: Robert Nott

2/18/21: Senate Redistricting Bills Press Conference. by: Fair Districts New Mexico

2/18/21: Supporters push for independent redistricting by: Dan McKay

2/11/21: Reforming Redistricting in New Mexico | Web Extra by: New Mexico In Focus

2/8/21: Committee OKs independent redistricting commission. by: Dan McKay

1/18/21: New Mexico's special legislative session on redistricting could be delayed. by: Robert Notth

1/17/21: Commission would ensure "1 person, 1 vote" by Edward Chavez, retired chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court, and Roderick Kennedy, retired chief judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, Sunday, January 17th, 2021 in the Albuquerque Journal

1/15/21: New Mexico redistricting task force calls for new process, by Walter Rubel of the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative, in the Las Cruces Sun-News

1/9/21: Redistricting Reform Would Empower Voters, by Chairwoman Cheryl Harris of the Adelante Progressive Caucus, Op-Ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican

Comparison of Redistricting Bills in the 2021 Session

Click to read the comparison.

New Mexico Redistricting Reform gets National Coverage

The Hill: New Mexico legislature advancing bipartisan redistricting reform.

Redistricting Legislative Advocacy 2021

Read the House Redistricting Act HB211 here. The Senate Redistricting Act, being filed this week, is identical.

Read the Fact Sheet on the House Redistricting Act here.
Read the Fact Sheet on the Senate Redistricting Act here.

Tracking of NM Senate Support for Fair Redistricting: Your help sought to contact and persuade New Mexico Senators. Please contact us at fairdistricts@lwvnm.org with any feedback you can share with us.

Legislators' responses to redistricting questions by region. These are combined answers from various surveys and the questions were posed differently:

Redistricting Rock Stars Video

Recording of the Webinar Redistricting Rock Stars, Tuesday, January 12, 6:30pm.

See FDNM with Redistricting Task Force Chairmen former NM Supreme Court Justice Edward Chavez and former NM Appeals Court Judge Roderick Kennedy as we discuss how the Chairmen foresee the Task Force's findings affecting redistricting reform at the legislative session. We also discuss the Redistricting Act, the Senate bill for redistricting reform. Hosted by the League of Women Voters New Mexico President, Hannah Burling.

Report of the New Mexico First Redistricting Task Force

Read the Task Force's report here: Redistricting Taskforce in New Mexico.

Fair Districts PowerPoint

View the PowerPoint here: FDNMPowerPointTempB.pptx.

Video: Two NM Senators Speak on Redistricting

Video: Redistricting in New Mexico: A Troubled History & Opportunities for Change

Writer and reporter Gwyneth Doland, of New Mexico In Depth, speaks about the historical aspects of redistricting in New Mexico, how they impact redistricting today, and what we might expect in redistricting 2021. Doland is the author of Redistricting NM 2021; A troubled history and opportunities for change.

View the video of our webinar on Redistricting in New Mexico.

Research & Polling presentation to New Mexico Legislative Council

Research & Polling presentation to New Mexico Legislative Council (PDF, 1.5M) from January 19, 2021.

2020 Media Coverage

Op-Ed: Redistricting process must be fair and open

11/15/20: Kathy Brook and Eileen VanWie op-ed in the Las Cruces Sun News: Redistricting process must be fair and open.

KOB4 Covers the Redistricting Task Force:

Senator Ortiz y Pino nailed it again. At yesterday's Redistricting Task Force meeting his comments about incumbency protection and how the public meetings were a sham really influenced former Supreme Court Justice Chavez. Chavez, who was the Justice who oversaw the redrawing of House maps, said he wished he had known that when he was overseeing the process. He originally thought that the public meetings were a plus for the process.
Read the article: Redistricting in New Mexico: task force, advocacy groups push for fairness. (11/9/2020)

Santa Fe New Mexican: Prepare for Redistricting - its bound to get messy.

Redistricting Task Force Will Help Make Redistricting Fair: Oped by Kathleen Burke, Project Coordinator, Fair Districts for New Mexico - August 31, 2020.

Tuesday, July 21, Redistricting in NM Zoominar featuring Dick Mason, NM League of Women Voters, Kathleen Burke, Fair Districts New Mexico, and Senators Gerry Ortiz y Pino and Mark Moores. Part of the Retake Our Democracy Zoominar Series.

NM lawmakers should set new redistricting criteria: OpEd by John House, President of RepresentUs New Mexico, published Sunday, July 5th, 2020 in the ABQ Journal.

Public should Have a Say: Letter to the Editor in the Las Cruces Sun News, April 5 2020, by Kathy Brook, Las Cruces.

The New Mexico Redistricting Process Needs Sunshine: Letter to the Editor Published in the ABQ Journal March 25, 2020, by Richard Mason, Leader of the Fair Districts for New Mexico Project.

Now is the time for redistricting reform: A letter to the editor in the Los Alamos Monitor by Barbara Calef, LWVNM VP (10/26/2019).

NM should work now to implement redistricting reform: A guest column in the Albuquerque Journal by Hannah Burling, President, LWVNM (7/30/2019).

Struggle, chaos, litigation, great cost: NM redistricting: by Gwyneth Doland of New Mexico In Depth. District 39 really does look like a howling coyote!
Doland also has a longer report: Redistricting NM 2021: a Troubled History and Opportunities for Change (PDF), and a video: Redistricting in NM Explained in 14 Minutes.

2020 New Mexico Redistricting Survey

Results of a poll on public views on redistricting reform by UNM Center for Social Policy. In some cases the presentation compares the public views with those who applied to be on the Redistricting Task Force:
2020 New Mexico Redistricting Survey.