With the midterm election just around the corner, campaigns, parties and civic groups are working hard to drum up voter enthusiasm. This week on New Mexico in Focus looks at who the candidates and parties are 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.

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

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Sarah Gustavus

CORRESPONDENT
Gwyneth Doland

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

HOST
Gene Grant

New Mexico in Focus is New Mexico PBS’ prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest.

Hosted by Gene Grant, NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and arts issues, and explores them in-depth, with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment."

The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Sarah Gustavus with associate producer Kathy Wimmer. NM PBS Public Affairs executive producer is Kevin McDonald.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation, the Neeper Natural History Programming Fund for KNME TV and Viewers Like You.

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