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Court bars state in Native voting rights case
Friday, July 15, 2005
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction against the state of South Dakota on Wednesday, ordering the state to seek federal review before implementing a new state law.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of several tribal members. They say Charles Mix County created districts that violate Native voting rights.
A new state law would have allowed the districts to go into effect without federal review, the ACLU said. The state said it didn't have to seek approval because Native voters don't make up a majority in the county.
But the 8th Circuit ruled that the state has been intentionally violating the federal Voting Rights Act when it comes to Native Americans. "Plaintiffs have shown that for over 25 years defendants have intended to violate and have violated the preclearance requirements of the VRA," a three-judge panel said [
Ruling].
Get the Story:
Feds must OK S.D. districting laws
(The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 7/15)
Three-Judge Panel Rules Unanimously in Favor of Native American Voters in South Dakota (ACLU 7/14)
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