A federal judge ruled this week that the city of Martin, South Dakota, did not violate the voting rights of Native Americans when it redrew its voting district boundaries.

On behalf of members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the voting map drawn in 2000. The lawsuit said the districts did not adequately represent Native voters.

The city presented evidence that Native candidates have been elected. U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier agreed that the city did not violate the Voting Rights Act or discriminate against Native Americans.

The ACLU is appealing.

Get the Story:
ACLU loses voting-rights challenge (The Rapid City Journal 3/25)
Martin prevails in ACLU voting rights case (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 3/25)

Relevant Links:
Minority Voting Rights, ACLU - http://www.aclu.org/VotingRights/VotingRightslist.cfm?c=168

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