Every ten years the US Census counts all persons living in the country to allocate congressional representation and funding based on population. This process results in some states gaining and others losing seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and this same process carries over to the state level for our State Senators and State Representatives. The State of New Mexico has appointed a Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) that has been traveling the state to listen to different communities and their desires for redistricting. The CRC will recommend plans to the legislature, so our legislators can meet in a special session in December to finalize the redistricting of New Mexico.
The Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce is advocating for Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, and all districts west of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque. Many of the existing options the committee is presenting are not beneficial to Rio Rancho and the westside. It is important to ensure representation is fair and equitable across the entire state as redistricting will have a positive or negative impact on funding for the next 10 years.
Congressional Districts
The CRC is splitting Rio Rancho in half in every proposed map except option 1. Rio Rancho should remain whole as with every other city in New Mexico. In response to these proposals, the Chamber is presenting an alternative map which can be found with the link below. This map keeps Bernalillo County whole, and adds Cibola County, Laguna Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Sandia Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo to District 1. Rio Rancho remains in district 3 with all of Sandoval County (except Sandia Pueblo). This balances out the 3 congressional districts evenly in the state and keeps Jurisdictions together in almost every county.
RRRCC Proposed Congressional Districts
https://districtr.org/plan/55884
State Senate
Rio Rancho now has 105,000 residents which means the city should have 2 complete senate seats. The proposals provided keep Rio Rancho at 1 senate seat. The Chamber is proposing a senate map below that ensures Rio Rancho has 2 seats and Sandoval County is better represented as whole. The westside also gains better representation with the Chambers map.
State Senate Map
https://districtr.org/plan/55922
State House
The Chamber reviewed all the options for the State House and found map A to offer the best representation. This map ensures proper representation for the westside, Rio Rancho and Sandoval County. The Chamber has offered a slight tweak to the westside map by placing westside neighborhoods together based on roads, similar needs, and infrastructure.
State House Map
https://districtr.org/plan/55966
Please look at these maps, we need your feedback. You can send your feedback to Jerry@rrrcc.org. If you like these maps and want them to represent our areas, please go online and place your comments on the CRC page for each map.
How To place comments:
- NM Redistricting Public Comment Portal (newmexico-mapping.org)
- Go to “Submission Gallery” at the bottom of the page type “Rio Rancho”
- This will bring up the Chamber’s 3 submissions
- Click on one of the maps
- Click on proceed to submit a comment
- Please add the code for the map you are commenting
- Congress 55884
- Senate 55922
- House 55966
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