The Democratic Party of Sandoval County is celebrating a landmark court decision that mandates the redrawing of district boundaries to fully comply with the New Mexico Constitution and state law. By holding the Sandoval County Commission accountable, the Democratic Party has demonstrated that it will not tolerate redistricting practices that dilute the voices of Native American communities or any other residents of Sandoval County.
After the 2020 Census, Republican County Commissioners imposed radically gerrymandered redistricting maps that created Republican leaning districts for three of the five seats on the commission—even though registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in Sandoval County. They did this by packing nearly all the county’s Native American population into one district and fracturing Hispanic communities across multiple districts.
“Our victory is a testament to our commitment to a government that truly represents all of Sandoval County’s diverse communities,” said Greg Bennett, Chair of the Democratic Party of Sandoval County (DPSC). “We will continue our fight to ensure that county officials develop fair district lines that honor our constitutional obligations.”
What the Court Found
The Court found that Sandoval County’s Native American tribal sovereign nations were not appropriately consulted stating, “That failure, in and of itself, would invalidate the [Board of County Commissioners’] Redistricting Plan.”
The court also found that voting districts are not equal enough in population to comply with the New Mexico Constitution and state law. The Court determined that the redistricting plan violated Article X, Section 7 of the New Mexico Constitution, NMSA 1978, Section 4-38-3, and Sandoval County Ordinance Sec. 2-21.
The Board of County Commissioners was ordered to redraw districts to guarantee equal representation.
The Fight Continues
Though the Board of County Commissioners has filed an appeal, DPSC remains confident that appellate courts will uphold this decision. We stand ready to defend this victory and the fundamental principle that every New Mexican deserves a fair and equal voice in local government.
DPSC and the other Plaintiffs in the case are represented by Kenneth H. Stalter of 505 Legal, PC, and Theodore W. Barudin and Brian S. Colón of Singleton Schreiber.
Contact Chair Greg Bennett 505-705-7938 or chair25@sandovaldemocrats.org for further information.