How are voting districts determined?

In New Mexico, voting districts are determined by the state legislature. The legislature will review data such as population size, the demographics of a particular area, and any special interests that might be represented, and then they will draw lines on a map to create individual voting districts. This process of drawing and redrawing voting district lines is known as redistricting. Redistricting is done every ten years after the US Census. The data from the Census helps the legislature to determine which areas have grown, which ones have declined, and which areas have shifted from one party to another. This is important because it allows the legislature to decide how many representatives are needed in each particular area. Once the map is drawn, each voting district has to have the same population size and have similar demographics. This is done to ensure that all New Mexicans have an equal say in the political process, regardless of their voting district. Additionally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires that no voting districts are drawn in a way that would limit the political power of any minority groups. This means that minority populations must have an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice, and that any voting districts cannot be drawn in a way that would limit this opportunity. Overall, voting districts in New Mexico are determined by the state legislature through a process of redistricting. The legislature must take into account the census data and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ensure that all New Mexicans have an equal say in the political process and that minority groups are not excluded from the voting process.

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