Sandoval County Commission Chairman David Heil was scheduled to give a deposition Jan. 29 in a case alleging that the Commission approved gerrymandered boundaries to give Republican candidates an advantage.
The lawsuit was brought by the Democratic Party of Sandoval County, Democratic elected officials, a voter and two pueblos: Jemez and San Felipe. The plaintiffs in the case claim the map, approved 3-2 by the County Commission’s Republican majority, “advantages Republicans and Non-Hispanic White and disadvantages Democrats, Native Americans and Hispanics.”
According to online records, Heil was scheduled to visit the law offices of Kenneth H. Stalter in Albuquerque for a stenographic deposition recorded by a certified court reporter. The notice of deposition states that Heil’s testimony could be used “for any purpose permitted by the rules of civil procedure.”
Heil is the third person deposed in the case but the first since County Manager Wayne Johnson provided testimony last June.
Rod Adair, a former Republican state senator whose Roswell firm drew the maps accepted by the County Commission in December 2021, provided a deposition in February of last year. As a part of the discovery process, Adair was later asked to provide records and information he used to analyze data and draw up proposed maps.
At the time the Commission approved the maps, Democrats made up 42% of registered voters in all of Sandoval County, compared to 33% Republicans. Those not declaring a party affiliation made up 22% of registered voters.
The lawsuit specifically alleges that the boundaries for County Commission District 2 were drawn to give Republicans a voting advantage in that district.
Democratic elected officials among the plaintiffs include state Rep. Derrick Lente, of Sandia Pueblo; state Sen. Brenda McKenna, of Corrales; state Treasurer Laura Montoya, formerly the Sandoval County Treasurer; District 1 County Commissioner Katherine Bruch; and Town of Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres.
In a higher profile gerrymandering case last year, the New Mexico Supreme Court upheld redrawn maps for the state’s Congressional Districts. While some partisan gerrymandering was allowed, the court said, the redrawn maps in New Mexico fell short of “egregious” gerrymandering.