When citizens showed up to talk about redistricting at public meetings around the state this summer, they rarely spoke about "partisan concerns," consultant Brian Sanderoff told a joint session of legislators Tuesday, the first day of their special session.

"They spoke about their communities," said Sanderoff, who has been hired by the Legislature to work on every redistricting effort since the 1980s. He said speakers at the redistricting meetings — including residents of the Eldorado subdivision southeast of Santa Fe — mainly were interested in keeping their areas and neighborhoods together rather than scattered among several districts.

But whether legislators can keep partisan concerns out of debates at the Roundhouse in the coming days is doubtful. Drawing up new boundaries for congressional, legislative and other districts is an inherently political process in which partisan concerns are second only to concerns about self-preservation for lawmakers who want to keep their seats in the Legislature.

But though redistricting is the main purpose of the special session, there are likely to be other partisan fights as well.

As promised, Gov. Susana Martinez provided an agenda packed with several controversial issues she wants lawmakers to consider in addition to redistricting.

The governor's proclamation includes items such as repealing the law that allows illegal immigrants to receive driver's licenses — a bill the House passed last year but the Senate drastically changed. She also proposes a law requiring that third-graders be held back if they aren't proficient in reading at their grade level, and a measure allowing state and county governments to ban fireworks under emergency conditions.

Also in her proclamation are bills that would make the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department a division within the Department of Public Safety; consolidate the Tourism and Cultural Affairs departments; and merge the Department of Information Technology into the General Services Department.

Similar consolidation bills were introduced in the regular session early this year, but none gained any traction.

Some Democrats are on record saying that Martinez's laundry list of issues will take a back seat to redistricting. "Our No. 1 priority is to get redistricting done ... as quickly as we can, and then we'll look to see what we can get of the remainder of that proclamation," Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, told The Associated Press.

On the Senate floor Tuesday, Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, complained about the fact that Martinez didn't issue the proclamation until late Tuesday morning.

"I find it appalling that people did not get the proclamation until [they arrived in Santa Fe]," Jennings said. He noted that Martinez's predecessor, Bill Richardson, also had the habit of waiting until the last minute to issue proclamations for special sessions.

"I complained then, too, so I'm not picking on anyone," said Jennings, who was a consistent critic of fellow Democrat Richardson.

Jennings also blasted what he called the "partisan tone" of the proclamation. "If we keep with this political rhetoric ... that is so antagonistic, we'll never get the job done," he said.

He joked with Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, a Republican who presides over the Senate, about Sanchez's sometimes bumpy relationship with Martinez. "Sometimes I know you're in the doghouse, too," Jennings said.

In response to Jennings' complaints, Martinez spokesman Scott Darnell said in an email, "The Governor has been very transparent and open in her conversations with legislators and the people of New Mexico about the items that would be included on the special session agenda. They've been announced publicly, and repeated often, throughout the past few weeks, as well as discussed privately with leaders and members of both parties in each house [including Sen. Jennings]. ... This is not a partisan agenda; these goals are shared by Republicans and Democrats alike, and we can get the job done if we commit to work together."

Redistricting is required every 10 years following the U.S. census. The one-man, one-vote principal requires that the populations of districts be as equal as possible.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.