Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Election Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
At Sandoval town hall Stansbury urges action on gerrymandering, voter protections and warns against federalizing D.C.
Summary
Rep. Melanie Stansbury told Sandoval County residents that gerrymandering and other election threats are active in several states, described New Mexico's voter protections as strong, and criticized proposals to federalize D.C. law enforcement while urging civic engagement.
Sandoval County Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury used a town hall in Sandoval County to outline election threats she says are unfolding nationwide — including aggressive redistricting in Texas and other states — and to explain how local officials and residents can respond.
Redistricting and gerrymandering Stansbury described a nationwide, state-by-state effort she said Republican officials are pursuing to redraw maps in their favor. She cited Texas as a test case where state lawmakers produced highly gerrymandered maps and described Democrats leaving the state to block a vote. "They're trying to cheat," she said, adding that the response must include litigation and local organizing.
"The most important election official for you is the Sandoval County Clerk," Stansbury told attendees, stressing that county clerks and secretaries of state administer ballots and that local officials matter for election security. She argued New Mexico has strong protections, pointing to the state's 2023 voting law and the Native American Voting Rights Act and said New Mexico was recently recognized for electoral security.
Federalization of the District of Columbia When asked about the administration's statements on federalizing law enforcement in Washington, D.C., Stansbury said the proposal is not new to some Republicans but that attempts to withhold federal funding are "extortion" of locally elected leaders. She said Mayor Muriel Bowser has resisted and that increasing federal presence without criminal jurisdiction would be legally and politically fraught.
What residents can do Stansbury urged residents to call members of Congress, get involved in state redistricting fights, and support civic organizations working on litigation and voter protection. She said the House Democratic caucus and national groups are coordinating a multifaceted strategy and encouraged local activism and calls to elected officials.
Ending Stansbury emphasized sustained civic engagement: "Silence is deadly," she said, urging constituents to call, show up at town halls and communicate with family and friends in other states to counter planned redistricting and other election threats.
