Tribes submit briefs to Supreme Court for voting rights case

Tuesday, February 26, 2013  

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Shelby County v. Holder, a Voting Rights Act case, on Wednesday.

The court will consider whether Section 5 of the law violates the U.S. Constitution. At issue is whether certain states and local governments must submit voting changes to the Department of Justice to ensure the rights of American Indian, Alaska Native and other minority groups are protected.

The Navajo Nation, the Alaska Federation of Natives, several Alaska tribes and individual Indians have signed into briefs in the case. They argue that the pre-clearance requirement remains viable.

The lawsuit was filed by Shelby County in Alabama, one of the states required to obtain pre-clearance for voting changes.

Get the Story:
Experts Debate Effects of Voting Rights Act Provision on Native Americans (The Blog of Legal Times 2/25)

Relevant Documents:
Navajo Nation Brief | Alaska Federation of Natives Brief