SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Natalie Figueroa and Harold Pope

 

 

 

 

 

A JOINT MEMORIAL

URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ESTABLISH AND REQUIRE UNIFORM REDISTRICTING CRITERIA FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEATS.

 

     WHEREAS, the United States is one of only a few developed countries that allow officeholders to draw electoral districts; and

     WHEREAS, partisan gerrymandering disenfranchises voters by undermining the fundamental premise of one person, one vote and infringing on a voter's first amendment right to associate freely and fourteenth amendment right to equal protection of the laws under the United States constitution; and

     WHEREAS, the 2025 acts of midcycle redistricting increased partisan divisions, and additional acts of midcycle redistricting are predicted in 2026, which will worsen political polarization further; and

     WHEREAS, Article 1 of and the fourteenth amendment to the United States constitution grant congress the authority to enact laws governing the manner of elections for members of the United States house of representatives; establish terms and conditions states must follow in carrying out congressional redistricting after an apportionment; and enact laws to protect against excessive partisan gerrymandering; and

     WHEREAS, requiring states to use uniform redistricting criteria is an appropriate and important exercise of that congressional authority; and

     WHEREAS, prohibiting states from further midcycle redistricting unless court-ordered is also an appropriate and important exercise of that congressional authority; and

     WHEREAS, congress's authority regarding redistricting is limited to the United States house of representatives;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the United States congress be urged to pass legislation to require uniform redistricting criteria and uniform process standards for the United States house of representatives apportionment and to prohibit states from midcycle redistricting unless court-ordered; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the speaker of the United States house of representatives, the clerk of the United States house of representatives, the president pro tempore of the United States senate, the secretary of the United States senate, the New Mexico congressional delegation, the governor and the secretary of state.

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