Native

Federal Judge Orders Redrawing of North Dakota Legislative Districts, Impact on Native American Representation Remains Uncertain

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MINOT, N.D. – A federal judge has implemented a new legislative district map on North Dakota, following a lawsuit that claimed the previous map did not adequately represent Native American voters. While some are celebrating this as a victory for voting rights, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the state’s political landscape. The lawsuit argued that the districts were gerrymandered because Native Americans were not proportionally represented in the Legislature. However, it should be noted that the previous map, which was also designed to increase Native American representation, successfully elected two Native … Read more

Federal Judge Orders New North Dakota Legislative District for Native American Tribes, Citing Voting Rights Violation

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BISMARCK, N.D. — A federal judge has ordered a new joint legislative district in North Dakota for two Native American tribes. The tribes argued that the 2021 redistricting map violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting their voting strength. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter Welte made the decision to create a new map after ruling in November that the original map prevented Native American voters from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The judge had given North Dakota Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe and the GOP-controlled Legislature until December … Read more