Supreme Court Petition Filed Over North Dakota’s Alleged Vote Dilution of Native Americans

As first reported by Mary Steurer from the North Dakota Monitor, two North Dakota tribes are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court decision that found they cannot sue the state over alleged voter discrimination, according to an official petition to the High Court this week. The Spirit Lake Nation and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa claim North Dakota’s 2021 legislative district map diluted Native American voting power. While a federal judge agreed and ordered a new map, the 8th Circuit Court overturned that decision, ruling only the Justice Department can enforce voting rights law. The tribes argue this threatens democracy and racial equality across the seven states in the circuit. The Supreme Court has already frozen North Dakota’s map, which suggests possible interest in hearing the case.