ND Native American Nation Prevails in Protecting Majority-Minority Voting Districts.  A Victory for Minority Voters, But GOP Efforts to Neutralize the VRA Continue

Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 17, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

Native American voters prevailed in federal court against the State of North Dakota, protecting the ability to elect the candidate of their choice.  The state has a history of diluting Native voting power.

January 13th, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a redistricting case we covered back in May 2024, affirming a North Dakota Federal Appeals Court decision.  The appeals court had dismissed a state house district challenge by two non-native residents, who claimed their rights were infringed.

The case dates back to 2021, when the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara nations, also known as the MHA Nation, negotiated with the State to protect Native voting power under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Section 2.  After an agreement, State GOP officials later shamefully reversed positions in 2022, embracing a new GOP tactic which argues such majority-minority districts are a violation of the Equal Protection Clause under the U.S. Constitution.  The same argument has been made in Robinson v. Callais over Louisiana’s now two majority-minority districts. 

The MHA Nation decision protects North Dakota State House District 4A and three other districts –  great news for Native voters. But the Louisiana case is expected to be heard in the high court early in 2025, and the conservative justices seem to have made it their mission to dismantle the VRA.   

We have links to the history of the case at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
North Dakota Legislature – District 4

North Dakota Monitor – North Dakota changes course on tribal redistricting case, asks US Supreme Court to rule

North Dakota Monitor – Supreme Court upholds North Dakota’s majority-Native legislative subdistricts
Campaign Legal Center – Supreme Court Upholds Fair Map for Native Voters in North Dakota
Native American Rights Fund – North Dakota Native voting rights upheld by Supreme Court

U.S. District Court for North Dakota – (2023 – Via Democracy Docket) District Court Decision

Groups Taking Action:

Native American Rights Fund, Campaign Legal Center, Election Law Group , ACLU North Dakota


Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State


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