North Dakota tribes ask Supreme Court to keep redistricting map in place

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Spirit Lake Nation and three tribal citizens have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to keep North Dakota’s court-ordered legislative map in place while they seek review of a voting rights lawsuit, according to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor. The plaintiffs argue that reverting to the 2021 map would cause lasting harm and weaken Native voting power.

U.S. District Judge Peter Welte had previously ruled the 2021 map violated the Voting Rights Act, but the 8th Circuit Court reversed that decision in May. The appellate court ruled private citizens cannot bring Section 2 claims. The plaintiffs dispute this, calling the ruling a threat to Native voting rights and pointing to the 2024 election of three Native lawmakers in District 9 under the Welte map. The Supreme Court has asked the state to respond by July 22. North Dakota continues to agree with the 8th Circuit’s findings.