It’s time again for redistricting, and that doesn’t just mean that state lawmakers have work to do. Across the state, local governments must also create a process for drawing new boundaries.
For the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County, that process is already underway. The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting that the city has hired Research and Polling of Albuquerque – which also works for the state on redistricting – to “study the city’s demographics and design three proposals for redrawing districts.”
Doña Ana County plans to hire the same firm.
Southern New Mexico Common Cause is pushing for both governments to consider creating five-person, bipartisan citizen panels to be involved in the process. Former County Commissioner Bill McCamley presented the proposal on behalf of Common Cause to county commissioners today.
Commissioners appeared to be open to the idea.
The city may be more skeptical. City Manager Robert Garza was quoted by the Sun-News as saying the city will “certainly listen to (Common Cause) with an open mind, but the path we’re on is to fulfill the contractual obligations with Research and Polling. It’s completely independent. They’re from Albuquerque so they have no stake in the game.”
Read the full Sun-News article here.
As I’ve disclosed in the past, I’m friends with McCamley. Click here to read more about that.