Martinez Likely to Veto Legislative Re-Districting Maps

Susana Martinez

Capitol Report New Mexico - After signing a bi-partisan bill Wednesday (Oct. 5) designed to help New Mexico businesses bidding on state contracts, Gov. Susana Martinez acknowledged what’s been commonly accepted political wisdom around the state — that she’s on the verge of vetoing two redistricting bills Democrats passed in the just-completed special session of the legislature. “It’s likely I’ll be vetoing those,” Martinez said. ”I’ve looked at them several times. I just want to be absolutely sure.” Once the legislature ends a special session, a sitting governor has 20 days to decide whether to sign or veto bills that passed both houses of the legislature. By our reckoning, the 20th day will fall on Friday, Oct. 14. Four redistricting plans made it to the governor’s desk and two of them — concerning state House and state Senate races — barrelled through the state legislature with zero Republican support. Democrats insist they are fair plans that can withstand judicial review but Republicans have complained bitterly about them. Martinez said the legislative redistricting maps before her “aren’t fair and balanced,” adding:

“Even in the statement, when asked of Linda Lopez (one of the Democratic sponsors) by I think it was Rep. Nate Gentry, the very specific question was, ‘Can you testify that these were fair maps to all parties?’ and she refused to answer the question. If there was confidence that there was a fair map to all parties, the answer would have been yes, not a refusal to answer.” Read full story here: News New Mexico

Martinez Likely to Veto Legislative Re-Districting Maps