​The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee passed a committee substitute for House Joint Resolution 9 on a 5-4 vote.  The legislation, sponsored by Representative Natalie Figueroa (D-Bernalillo) and Representative Daymon Ely (D-Bernalillo & Sandoval), is headed to the House Judiciary Committee.
 
House Joint Resolution 9 proposes to amend Article 20 of the New Mexico Constitution to establish a constitutionally required independent redistricting commission. The legislation establishes a seven-member redistricting commission of which no more than three may have the same party affiliation. The proposed language prohibits individuals who have been elected officials, involved with a campaign, a candidate, or a paid lobbyist from qualifying for the Commission for a period of time.  The legislation gives the IRC authority to file the maps without legislative or executive approval.

Santa Fe, NM – The Constitutional Amendment creating an Independent Redistricting Commission, House Joint Resolution 9 (HJR9), had its first hearing in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs committee (HGEIA). The legislation, sponsored by Representative Natalie Figueroa (D-Bernalillo) and Representative Daymon Ely (D- Bernalillo & Sandoval), will return to the committee next week for a vote.  
 
House Joint Resolution 9 proposes to amend Article 20 of the New Mexico Constitution to establish a constitutionally required independent redistricting commission. The legislation establishes a seven-member redistricting commission of which no more than three may have the same party affiliation. The proposed language prohibits individuals who have been elected officials, involved with a campaign, a candidate, or a paid lobbyist from qualifying for the Commission for a period of time.  The legislation gives the IRC authority to file the maps without legislative or executive approval. 
 
Presently, fifteen states have an independent redistricting commission and six (including New Mexico) have a committee that serves in an advisory capacity.  Other states rely upon the legislature to facilitate the process and/or serve as a backup to the committee process. 
 
“The people of New Mexico should be allowed to decide the best way forward. We aspire to future redistrictings, which shall never be so bruising as the past, nor so expensive for the legislature and for the State,” said Kathleen Burke, Project Coordinator for Fair Districts for New Mexico. 
 
If approved, HJR9 will give voters the opportunity to approve a true independent redistricting commission as a part of the 2022 general election ballot. 
 
“Fair Districts for New Mexico was pleased that the HGEIA committee was so engaged in the discussion about HJR9. The committee members provided valuable suggestions on how HJR9 could be improved,” said Dick Mason, Chair of the Action Committee of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico. “The lead sponsor, Representative Natalie Figueroa, is working on incorporating many of those suggestions into a committee substitute that will presented at a future HGEIA committee meeting.” 
 
Aspects of the legislation build upon the aspects of the successful Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) structure. The resolution’s sponsor Representative Natalie Figueroa testified “this [HJR9] will protect us from losing a process we are trying to improve at the whim of a future administration. We need it protected and permanent as a part of our constitution.” 
 
In order to make it onto the 2022 general election balloon HJR9 would need approval on a two-thirds margin from the House of Representatives and Senate. 
 
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RedistrictNM.com is built on the recommendations of the cross-partisan New Mexico Redistricting Task Force, convened by the nonpartisan organization, New Mexico First.   
    
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Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican — A proposed constitutional amendment that would remove the New Mexico Legislature from the controversial process of drawing new election districts for legislative and congressional seats wasn’t quite ready for its first vote, lawmakers decided Wednesday. [READ MORE]

New Mexico Needs an Independent Redistricting Commission 
Fair Districts for New Mexico supports HJR 9 Independent Redistricting Commission 
  
For Immediate Release: 1/20/22
Contact:  Dick Mason 505-239-8304, act@lwvnm.org 
  
Santa Fe, New Mexico - Fair Districts for New Mexico, an organization working toward redistricting reform, including legislation creating fair voting districts, supports House Joint Resolution 9 (HJR 9) for the creation of an Independent Redistricting Commission. 
  
Fair Districts for New Mexico, and its forty partner organizations, urges New Mexicans to support HJR9 introduced today by Representatives Natalie Figueroa and Daymon Ely. If passed, the resolution will put the opportunity to create a true independent redistricting commission on the 2022 general election ballot.  It would model the successful Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) model. 

Fair Districts for New Mexico (FDNM) and partners led the coalition that promoted the 2021 Redistricting Act, creating the CRC.  The CRC was tasked with gathering public input and then recommending Congressional, New Mexico Senate and House, and Public Education Commission district maps to the New Mexico Legislature. 

The seven-member CRC conducted more than 14 public meetings around New Mexico and provided three sets of recommendations for each set of district maps considered by the legislature. “The CRC did an admirable job in a very compact period of time. The CRC and staff deserve the appreciation of all New Mexicans,” says Dick Mason of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, one of Fair Districts’ partners. “Sadly these public meetings and maps were only ‘recommendations’. As a result, one chamber decided it was in their best interest to draw maps to protect incumbents, a disservice to those who participated in the many public meetings and contributed to the eventual design of the maps.” 

Mason continued, “The legislators ultimately chose their constituents rather than constituents choosing their legislators. In what universe is that not a conflict of interest? We hope that the legislature will approve HJR 9 and provide voters the right to choose their elected leaders in elections to come.” 

A 2020 scientific survey by the UNM Center for Social Policy indicates support for the ideals embodied in HJR9. According to the survey results of New Mexico residents, a robust 93% of respondents believe it is important for lawmakers to consider implementing new laws in the future to increase accountability; one example would be the creation of an independent redistricting commission. Numerous additional polls over the years have shown that an overwhelming number of New Mexicans prefer an independent redistricting commission. The New Mexico Legislature owes it to the voters of New Mexico to allow them to make that choice. 

Fair Districts for New Mexico is a project of the League of Women Voters working on redistricting reform in New Mexico. www.fairdistrictsnm.org 
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