League of Women Voters of New Mexico

What we do

The League of Women Voters has worked since 1920 to improve local, state and national government and strengthen our communities through citizen education and action.

The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan; it never supports or opposes candidates or political parties. The League does take action on issues of importance to its members and the community, after studying them in depth.

Membership is open to all residents of the United States, both women and men, who are 16 years or older. Find out more.

A 100-Year Minute

One hundred years ago, in 1920, the 19^th Amendment became law and women gained the right to vote. In Illinois, the legislature had given many women this right 7 years earlier in 1913, and in the spring of 1914 more than 150,000 Chicago women registered to vote.

Oh, my. What must the political power brokers in Chicago have been thinking!

Then, Chicago hosted a meeting in 1920 where the National American Woman Suffrage Association formally DISBANDED and was replaced with THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

The LEAGUE, of course, still exists today. Happy 100^th Birthday to the League of Women Voters.

Upcoming Events

Our Advocacy Workshop is coming up on December 7. Prepare for the 2020 Legislative Session!

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, the public will be invited to an event celebrating both the 100th birthday of the League of Women Voters and the centennial of New Mexico’s ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Working with allied non-partisan partners, we will have displays appropriate to the occasion, and people will be encouraged to wear suffrage garb. Senator Nancy Rodriguez and Rep. Joanne Ferrary, League members from Santa Fe and Las Cruces respectively, are sponsoring legislative memorials recognizing the League’s history and accomplishments that will be read in their respective chambers that day. We will have 12 display tables in the West Hall starting at 8 am and then break around 12:30 pm for some fun. We expect to have speakers and refreshments from 1-2 pm. We are inviting the governor to speak and deliver proclamations about the dual occasion, and we will celebrate with other speakers, music, and refreshments. Use your creativity to help us recognize this important democratic milestone with flair. Here’s to the 2020 Women’s Vote Centennial!

2020 Census

The 2020 Census is of critical importance to New Mexico. We'll be working hard to get every New Mexican counted. Read about it on our 2020 Census page.

Logo of La Palabra

Latest La Palabra

The Fall 2019 La Palabra (PDF, 1.6 Mb) newsletter is out.

President's Corner, Improving Redistricting in New Mexico, Advocacy Workshop, Independent Ethics Commission Report, Save the Dates!, LWVLA Meets with Brian Blalock, Action Committee Report, League Day Plans Focus on Suffrage Anniversary, Suffrage Timeline for New Mexico, Spent Nuclear Fuel Advocacy Group Report, Local League News.

Keep up to date by reading La Palabra!

For issues of La Palabra dating back to 2005, see the Newsletters page.

Recent LWVNM News

New Redistricting Project

August 1, 2019:

The LWVNM has received a generous grant grant to lead an effort to ensure fair and transparent redistricting following the 2020 census. As part of that effort we have created a separate web site. Please visit fairdistrictsnm.org. The site is under development but already has links to valuable resources on redistricting.

NM should work now to implement redistricting reform

July 30, 2019:

Guest column in the Albuquerque Journal by Hannah Burling, President, LWVNM: NM should work now to implement redistricting reform.

SCOTUS Decisions on Census and Gerrymandering

June 28, 2019:

The LWVNM is pleased that the Supreme Court has not approved the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Instead, they sent the issue back to the Department of Commerce, leaving the final decision up in the air. We hope that reason prevails and the question will not be added to the census. It would result in a serious undercount in New Mexico, costing the state $3,700 for every resident who goes uncounted, potentially $780 million over ten years. We hope the courts and the administration do the right thing.

The LWVNM is disappointed that in today's ruling on fair redistricting the U.S. Supreme Court did not take the opportunity to set guidelines for fair redistricting in all the states. As Justice Kagan stated in her dissent, "the partisan gerrymanders here debased and dishonored our democracy, turning upside-down the core American idea that all governmental power derives from the people".

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, New Mexico policymakers still have the opportunity to follow the other 21 states that have acted to ensure that constituents get to choose their legislators rather than legislators choosing their constituents.

More details in the Press Release: LWVNM on the SCOTUS Decisions on Census and Gerrymandering.

Video: Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard Speaks at LWVNM Convention Banquet

May 29, 2019:

The LWVNM convention, held in May in Los Alamos, was a great success. Besides talks by Sara Scott, Christine Chandler, and Liz Bander, our LWVUS liaison, we were treated to a half-hour talk by our own Stephanie Garcia Richard, the new State Land Commissioner, at our banquet. She speaks eloquently about the wins and losses that have occurred since her election and what she hopes for the future. Enjoy her talk and the questions: Stephanie Garcia Richard Speaks at LWVNM Convention Banquet.

LWVNM Elects Hannah Burling as New State President

[Outgoing LWVNM President Judy Williams welcomes new Presiden Hannah Burling] May 25, 2019:

At the League's biennial convention, held in Los Alamos, Hannah Burling of Santa Fe has been elected to a two-year term as president of the LWVNM. The convention also approved a position on the transfer of federal public lands after a two-year study on the subject, and approved a study on the selection of New Mexico judges in limited jurisdiction courts.

For older news items, see the LWVNM News Archive.

How to Contact Your Legislator

Want to connect with your legislator? See our page on Contact Info for New Mexico Legislators.

Want to reach NM’s Congressional delegation? The Congressional toll-free number is 1-866-727-4894 . Just ask for your representative or senator. Please remember that you are speaking as an individual and not for the League.