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Midterm Elections, Constitutional Amendment #1, Carlsbad & The Economic Boom, The Line

This week on New Mexico in Focus: With the midterm election just around the corner, campaigns, parties and civic groups are working hard to drum up voter enthusiasm. Who are the candidates and parties counting on to get out to the polls? With two high-profile Native and Hispanic women on the ballot, are identity politics driving votes? Correspondent Gwyneth Doland discusses voter targeting and turnout with two experts this week.

Host Gene Grant sits down with Artie Pepin, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, to find out more about the proposed changes to Constitutional Amendment #1, which asks voters to allow the legislature to change a state statute regarding how minor court cases are appealed.

Special Correspondent Sarah Gustavus again visits Carlsbad to look at how the oil and gas boom has impacted the local housing market in Southern New Mexico. In this final installment of a three-part series New Mexico in Focus produced with the Carlsbad Current-Argus, Gustavus looks at how the boom in hotels has created challenges and opportunities for tourism and local arts.

Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists take a last look at the governor’s race before Election Day, discuss local reactions to the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, and examine New Mexico Catholic bishop’s response to a political ad.

Host: Gene Grant

Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland

Special Correspondent: Sarah Gustavus

Studio Guests:
Lonna Atkeson, UNM political science professor and director of the Center for the Study of Voting, Elections, and Democracy
Laurie Weahkee, executive director of the Native American Voters Alliance
Artie Pepin, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts

Line Panelists:
Dede Feldman, former NM State Senator
Tom Garrity, the Garrity Group PR
Laura Sanchez-Rivét, attorney at Cuddy and McCarthy, LLP
H. Diane Snyder, former NM state senator