UNIFORM REDISTRICTING CRITERIA

SJM001

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 1

57
th 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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