SENATE MEMORIAL 15

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Brenda G. McKenna

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO TO CONVENE A COUNTY REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS FOR NEW MEXICO COUNTIES FOLLOWING THE 2030 CENSUS.

 

     WHEREAS, counties in New Mexico have been implementing redistricting plans about which concerns have been raised, including concerns about possible advantages for incumbents and issues pertaining to possible voter disenfranchisement; and

     WHEREAS, concerns have been raised that local communities are being divided in ways that do not support long-established geographical relationships and that boundaries have been drawn to cluster groups that have not been previously connected; and

     WHEREAS, Indian nations, tribes and pueblos within county boundaries have not consistently been solicited for input to allow the varying, non-homogeneous needs of these different communities to be adequately represented; and

     WHEREAS, representative government requires meaningful public engagement and voter input into the redistricting process;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the university of New Mexico be requested to convene a county redistricting task force to develop concrete recommendations to review and analyze current changes made within each county's redistricting efforts and to standardize the processes and rules by which redistricting takes place in counties; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of elected officials and community leaders of different populations within the counties; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to hold public meetings to receive public input; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force make recommendations for legislation to the appropriate interim legislative committees and to the legislature during the 2024 regular legislative session; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chairs of the appropriate interim legislative committees, the president of the university of New Mexico and the secretary of state.