North Dakota asks Supreme Court to restore 2021 district map during voting rights case

North Dakota is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the state to use its 2021 legislative district map while a voting rights case filed by two tribes and three Native citizens proceeds, according to the North Dakota Monitor. In a Tuesday brief, state attorneys argued federal courts have overreached by allowing private plaintiffs to challenge redistricting plans.

The lawsuit, brought by the Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and three individuals, claims the 2021 map violates the Voting Rights Act. A federal judge ordered new district lines in 2023, but the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing. The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked changes to the current map, which places both reservations in the same district, while it considers a longer stay. The plaintiffs and supporters, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, argue that there is a “clear record” of Congress supporting private enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.