How Many Legislators Does It Take?

How many legislators does it take to come up with a redistricting plan for New Mexico? We don't really know. They didn't do it.

The New Mexico legislature met in special session last fall to come up with a redistricting plan. They failed. They didn't do their job.

That meant the whole redistricting effort, federal and state, moved to the courts, demonstrating a complete failure of the legislative process.


In the court, under pressure from the retired judge assigned the case, a degree of compromise and arbitration finally settled the redistricting for the Congressional districts, the state senate, and the state house of representatives.

Did I say settled? Maybe not. It looks like some are still disgruntled, and now the state Supreme Court will be getting involved. Again.

This is insane. In my view, the legislators and their staffs should reimburse the state for the cost of the special session and the subsequent litigation. Then maybe they might actually do their job next time.