Fair Representation Resources:
Redistricting, Voting Systems, and Representative Districts

(updated 5/15/2008)

Next Meeting May 20

at 1:00pm, Albuquerque, at 5701 Klondike ST NE, Albuquerque. There will also be a teleconference: call Cheryl at 505-270-8438 for more information.

Agenda includes plans for the second year of the study: consensus questions, study directions, calendar plans.

The first year of the study is over! The study group is moving on to honing in on redistricting: criteria, by whom, methods, etc. The goal is to achieve consensus on a new State position this fall, followed by lobbying during the 2009 Long Session.

The Study Group welcomes new members. If you'd like to join, please send a message to Cheryl Haaker which gives your name and your local League (or MAL).

News

Reports from the Study Group

Proposal documents
- Study Proposal in 2007 Winter La Palabra (Word, 36 KB)
- Proposal Sheet as submitted to 2006 Convention (PDF, 640 KB)
Research reports
- A Brief History of Redistricting in New Mexico by Lisa Franzen (9/2007) (Word, 84 KB)
- Alternative Electoral Systems by Katherine Campbell (1/2008), LWVNM President (Word, 84 KB)
- Snapshot of Three State Leagues Pursuing Redistricting Studies by Judith Binder (12/2007), (Word, 84 KB)
- Counting Votes: Who Wins by Cheryl Haaker (Word, 149 KB)
- Electoral System Criteria by Katherine Campbell (PDF, 59 KB)
- New Mexico Redistricting 2001 - What Went Wrong?" by Lisa Franzen (Word, 98KB)
Status updates
- Fair Representation Update, La Palabra, Summer 2007 (Word, 26 KB)
- Fair Representation Update, Jan 2008 (Word, 84 KB)
Unit materials
- Main Handout (4/2008) (Word, 96 KB)
- Brief History of Redistricting in New Mexico (3/2008) (Word, 92 KB)
- Sample Redistricting Criteria (3/2008) (Word, 100 KB)
- Some Electoral System Criteria (3/2008) (Word, 81 KB)
- Alternative Electoral Systems (2/2008) (Word, 84 KB)

Minutes of Study Group Meetings

2006

12/21 Word, 33KB

2007

1/24 Word, 30KB
2/26 Word, 32KB
4/2 Word, 50KB
4/23 Word, 32KB
7/24 Word, 43KB
8/28 Word, 43KB
9/25Word, 55KB
10/23 Word, 50KB
12/18 Word, 68KB

2008

1/8 Word, 111 KB
3/4 Word, 101 KB
3/18 Word, 93 KB
4/3 Word, 96 KB
4/29 Word, KB

Some Resources on Reapportionment, Redistricting, and Voting Systems

We are just starting to organize these references. The League does not necessarily endorse or agree with any of the links presented here. They are sources of information that we think may be of value to you.

Books

The Broken Branch: How Congress is Failing America, and How to Get it Back on Track, Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein (2006)
Party Lines: Competition, Partisanship, and Congressional Redistricting, Thomas E. Mann and Bruce E. Cain (2005)

Redistricting: Links

Center for Voting and Democracy, fairvote.org
A Guide to State and Congressional Redistricting in New Mexico (2001)
Prepared by the LCS. Gives a basic overview of New Mexico's redistricting process. 21 pages.
Redistricting Information for New Mexico
The New Mexico Legislature's page, with details of the 2000 Redistricting
Common Causes' redistricting guideline for California
pretty general but gives an idea of what other organizations are thinking. A one pager.
"Redistricting Reform" Article in June 2005 LWVUS Voter
LWVUS' redistricting page with links to speeches and reports.
The Shape of Representative Democracy, a Report of the Redistricting Reform Conference, Airlie, VA 6/2005

Alternate Voting Systems: Links

Instant Runoff Voting
Report on how voters have approved this system of voting in Oakland and Davis, CA; Minneapolis, MN; and Pierce County, WA
Ballot Roulette: Computer scientists and mathematicians look for better ways to vote, Peter Weiss, Science News, 11/4/2006
Election Selection: Are we using the worst voting procedure?, Erica Klarreich, Science News, 11/2/2002
Election Reversals, Ivars Peterson, Science News, 10/18/2003

Systems of Representation

Evaluation of Major Election Methods (PDF)
A study by the Washington State League.
Electoral System Design: The New International IDEA Handbook
A book by The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). A list of their Other publications can be found by clicking here
Proportional Representation
The Wikipedia entry. Many links to the different flavors of proportional representation
Readings in Proportional Representation
from Mount Holyoke College
How Proportional Representation Elections Work
Detailed descriptions, with pictures and examples.

Statutes

Voting Rights Act text
The US Constitution

Fair Representation Resources:Redistricting, Voting Systems, and Representative Districts