Pair of North Dakota tribes may seek Supreme Court review on voting rights case

WASHINGTON (KMOT) – A dispute over voting rights on a pair of Native American reservations in North Dakota may go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake Tribes, along with a handful of Native American citizens in North Dakota, have been in an ongoing legal dispute over legislative maps adopted in 2021 that they say dilute the Native vote.

A press release from the Campaign Legal Center this week indicated counsel for the tribes filed a motion to stay the court’s decision, and are preparing to seek a SCOTUS review.

Most recently, the case made it to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled private citizens could not challenge the law; only the U.S. Department of Justice could do so. The panel refused to reconsider its ruling this week.

In a release posted to social media this week, Turtle Mountain Tribal Chairman Jamie Azure called the ruling “deeply concerning.”

“This ruling sets a dangerous precedent. It sends a troubling message to Native voters: that when the state enacts unfair or unlawful maps, we are no longer entitled to seek justice through the courts,” said Azure, in part.

Azure said the tribe will continue to pursue every legal path to protect Native voting rights.

It’s unclear whether the high court will take up the case.

Your News Leader also reached out to a spokesperson for the Spirit Lake Tribe for comment and will update as we learn more.