Wyoming tribes denounce calls to review reservation voting districts
Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho leaders said proposed changes to election boundaries could weaken Native representation on the Wind River Reservation
The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho business councils denounced Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s calls to examine electoral boundaries on the Wind River Indian Reservation following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, according to reporting by WyoFile. Gray argued that certain legislative and county voting districts may be unconstitutional because race was considered when the boundaries were drawn. The tribal councils said the proposal threatens Native voting rights and representation.
Gray’s concerns focus on House District 33 and Fremont County Commission districts tied to a 2010 federal court ruling that found the county’s at-large election system diluted Native voting strength. The Northern Arapaho Business Council said the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais does not overturn earlier federal rulings tied to Fremont County. Tribal leaders said returning to an at-large voting system could reduce fair opportunities for Native representation in elected office.
- 1.Maggie Mullen. WyoFile, .
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