An Indian woman who was a plaintiff in a voting rights lawsuit is seeking office in Charles Mix County, South Dakota.

Sharon Drapeau and the other Indian plaintiffs sued over the county's redistricting plan. They successfully proved that it violated the voting rights of residents of the Yankton Sioux Reservation.

No tribal member has ever won office on the county commission and Drapeau hopes to be the first. She won the Democratic primary in June and is running unopposed.

But non-Indian residents have started a petition to redraw the county's districts again. Ray Westendorf, the county sheriff and one of the organizers of the petition, say their effort has nothing to do with Drapeau's candidacy.

Get the Story:
Charles Mix plan heads to ballot (AP 7/20)

Voting Rights Legislation:
Voting Rights Reauthorization (H.R.9)

Civil Rights Report:
Voting Rights in South Dakota, 1982-2006 (May 17, 2006)

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