NM Dems oppose special master for redistricting

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – Democrats and Native Americans opposed on Friday a Republican-backed proposal to have a court-appointed special master draw boundaries of elected office districts, including Congress and the Legislature.

Groups of Democrats and several Indian tribes, including Laguna Pueblo and the Jicarilla Apache Nation, said a special master will add delays and expense to the politically important task of redistricting.

The makeup of new districts, and whether they favor Democratic or Republican candidates, can influence New Mexico's elections for the rest of the decade.

In filings in state district court in Santa Fe, Democratic legislators and others recommended that retired District Judge James Hall move ahead with trials in redistricting lawsuits and reject the special master proposal made earlier this week by Gov. Susana Martinez and other Republicans.

Republicans contend a special master, such as a demographer, can prepare politically neutral maps for Hall to consider in deciding how districts must be changed. They argue that approach would be better than having a judge pick from a “beauty pageant” of competing map proposals that will be offered by GOP, Democratic and Native American groups participating in redistricting trials.

Districts for Congress, the state House and Senate and the Public Regulation Commission must be realigned to adjust for population shifts during the past decade. The goal is to equalize district populations as much as possible to ensure compliance with the legal requirement of one person, one vote.

Lawyers for Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, and other Democratic voters said a judge – not a special master – is best equipped to resolve the constitutional and state law questions that will surface in redistricting trials. They said there have been numerous delays in Nevada, which has a panel of three special masters to deal with redistricting.

Martinez argued that a special master would provide for a “more fair process” in redistricting, but the Democrats said “the governor does not, and cannot, explain why this court would be any less fair or objective than a special master.”

It's up to Hall to decide whether to name a special master, and it's possible he could rule as early as next week. Hall plans four hearings in December and January to gather evidence he'll use in drawing new district boundaries.

In an order filed earlier this week, Hall scheduled a four-day hearing for congressional redistricting from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8. He set aside seven days for House redistricting, Dec. 12-15 and Dec. 19-21.

Senate redistricting is scheduled for six days, Jan. 3-6 and Jan. 9-10.

A three-day hearing on redistricting of the Public Regulation Commission is set for Jan. 11-13.

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