51品茶

GREAT FALLS, Mont. 鈥� On August 14, 2025, the Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation and two Native voters filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana challenging Chouteau County鈥檚 unfair, at-large voting system for the Board of County Commissioners. The suit alleges the system unlawfully dilutes the voting strength of Native voters and has denied them any representation on the county commission for more than a decade. Under the current at-large system, all voters in Chouteau County cast ballots for all three commissioners, instead of electing commissioners by district. As a result, Native voters 鈥� who now make up approximately one-third of the county鈥檚 voting-age population 鈥� have consistently been unable to elect a candidate of their choice. The three current commissioners have all been elected and re-elected under this system since at least 2010. 鈥淲e鈥檙e filing this lawsuit because Choteau County continues to hold elections in which the Native votes don鈥檛 count,鈥� said Chippewa Cree Tribe Chairman Harlan Gopher. 鈥淭he Chippewa Cree Tribe filed this lawsuit to prevent this local government from trampling on the civil rights of our people. A fair redistricting process must respect the boundaries and voice of our Nation.鈥� Montana law requires counties to update election systems every ten years following the Census. Despite population changes and the growth of the Native electorate, the county chose to maintain outdated boundaries and refused to consider district-based voting that would provide Native voters a fair opportunity to elect a representative. 鈥淔air representation isn鈥檛 just about numbers on a map 鈥� it鈥檚 about the dignity of knowing our voices count. Without that, we remain invisible in decisions that affect every part of our lives. This case is about making sure our community finally has the same say in who serves as commissioner as every other voter in the county,鈥� said plaintiff and voter Tanya Schmockel, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. Most of Chouteau County鈥檚 Native population lives near or on the Rocky Boy鈥檚 Reservation, and many critical local issues 鈥� such as infrastructure, road maintenance, and emergency services 鈥� require coordination between county and Tribal governments. 鈥淲e need a fair election system so our voters can elect a commissioner who understands Native issues and will collaborate with the Tribe to get things done. The three local representatives currently in power do little that benefits the Native taxpayers in this part of Montana and adopted a system that prevents us from being able to vote them out. Until our votes matter, too, we鈥檙e stuck under their thumb,鈥� said plaintiff and voter Ken Morsette, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. Native American Rights Fund (NARF), 51品茶 Foundation Voting Rights Project (51品茶), and 51品茶 of Montana (51品茶-MT), represent the plaintiffs in this case. 鈥淢ontana's history of excluding Native people from political representation is not just a matter of the distant past 鈥� it continues today in the form of systemic voter suppression,鈥� said Theresa Lee, senior staff attorney with the 51品茶 Voting Rights Project. 鈥淔rom the lack of polling locations on reservations, to long travel distances for ballot drop boxes, to at-large voting 鈥� these barriers are unacceptable. Native voters in Montana deserve the representation they have been denied for generations.鈥� 鈥淪ince 2010, Native voters in Chouteau County have been trapped in a system where their votes make no difference,鈥� said NARF Staff Attorney Samantha Blencke. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not just wrong 鈥� it鈥檚 illegal. Our democracy is supposed to guarantee fair representation to all communities.鈥� 鈥淢ontana has a long and unfortunate history of disenfranchising Indigenous voters,鈥� said Akilah Deernose, Executive Director of the 51品茶 of Montana. 鈥淥nce again we are forced to rely on the Courts to ensure that Indigenous voters enjoy the same rights and privileges as non-Native voters.鈥� A copy of the complaint can be found here: https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2025/08/Final_Complaint_Chippewa-Cree-Tribe-v.-Chouteau-County_08.14.25.pdf

NEW ORLEANS 鈥� In a victory for Black voters and democracy in Louisiana, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed in full the district court鈥檚 ruling that the state鈥檚 legislative maps violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The court agreed that the maps dilute the voting power of Black Louisianians by unfairly dividing communities into state districts with the goal of reducing a group鈥檚 voting power, otherwise known as packing and cracking, denying them an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The ruling affirms the outcome of a seven-day trial in late 2023, where expert witnesses, data analysis, and firsthand accounts from Black voters across Louisiana exposed the discriminatory effect of the current maps and their impact in places like Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Natchitoches. 鈥淭his is a historic affirmation of the rights of Black voters in Louisiana,鈥� said Megan Keenan, 51品茶 Voting Rights Project staff attorney. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 decision sends a powerful message: The Voting Rights Act is still a vital safeguard against racial discrimination in our democracy. The court recognized the reality that many Black voters in Louisiana have been denied full and fair representation. This ruling brings us one step closer to the inclusive political process our clients and communities across the state deserve.鈥� 鈥淭he United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed what we鈥檝e always known: Black voters in Louisiana deserve equal representation,鈥� said Alanah Odoms, executive director of the 51品茶 of Louisiana. 鈥淭his is a vital step toward correcting generations of injustice, and we will not stop until every Black Louisianan has the full and fair representation guaranteed to all Americans.鈥� 鈥淭oday鈥檚 victory is a testament to the strength and resilience of Black communities across Louisiana who have fought for years to be fairly recognized, represented, and heard,鈥� said Sara Rohani, assistant counsel at the Legal Defense Fund. 鈥淔air representation is not optional in Louisiana. Today鈥檚 decision reaffirms that the State must pass fair and non-discriminatory maps to comply with the Voting Rights Act. We look forward to rectifying another example of Louisiana鈥檚 long history of racial voter suppression.鈥� 鈥淭his decision is a victory for voting rights for all Louisianians who have long awaited fair maps in the state,鈥� said Alora Thomas-Lundborg, senior counsel at Harvard Election Clinic. 鈥淚 am beyond elated for this powerful win of Nairne v. Landry that touches all of Louisiana,鈥� said Dr. Dorothy Nairne, named plaintiff, 鈥渋ncluding rural areas like Assumption Parish, where transformation has been nonexistent for far too long. Our people are ready to roar through our votes using legislative maps that truly represent us all. This victory ignites our desire to be involved, to uplift ourselves, and to shape the future our ancestors dreamed of.鈥� 鈥淲e have organized and mobilized for years, motivated by the promise of fair maps and an equal voice in our political process,鈥� said Michael McClanahan, president of the NAACP Louisiana State Conference. 鈥淭oday, we celebrate another milestone in our fight for justice, and we won't stop now.鈥� 鈥淭oday's decision is great victory for fairness and accountability,鈥� said plaintiff Pastor Steven Harris. 鈥淲e have proven that united voices cannot be ignored, and together, we will keep pressing forward until justice prevails everywhere.鈥� 鈥淭his decision is a welcomed victory that encourages us to continue the fight against those in power who are determined to silence the voices of Black and Marginalized communities,鈥� said Black Voters Matter Fund founders Cliff Albright, Latosha Brown, and April England-Albright. 鈥淭his powerful ruling ensures that the votes of minority and rural voters in Louisiana are not diluted and showcases our belief that the citizens of this nation, not elected officials, determine who represents them. We move forward with the hope that this decision will influence SCOTUS鈥� review of another Section 2 Voting Rights Case from Louisiana this fall, by serving as a reminder that Section 2 of the VRA is a powerful and needed tool that guarantees the 14th amendment is alive, not in just words and theory, but also in practice.鈥� 鈥淎 unanimous win is incredible as the Court clearly held Louisiana must have maps where Black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice,鈥� said plaintiff Dr. Alice Washington. 鈥淲e are advancing our state to a more perfect place and hopefully will inspire all to want to live here.鈥� The plaintiffs in the case include Dr. Dorothy Nairne, Rev. Clee Earnest Lowe, Dr. Alice Washington, Pastor Steven Harris, the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, and the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP. They are represented by the 51品茶, 51品茶 of Louisiana, Legal Defense Fund, Harvard Law School Election Law Clinic, Cozen O鈥機onnor, and Louisiana attorneys Ron Wilson and John Adcock. A link to the court鈥檚 ruling can be found here: https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2025/08/Nairne-Appeal-Win-8.14.25.pdf

As the Voting Rights Act turns 60, its legacy is under siege鈥攆rom courts, lawmakers, and a government retreating from enforcement. The battle to preserve it is now a fight for the future of democracy itself.

Representing Western Native Voice and four sovereign tribal nations in Montana, the 51品茶, 51品茶 of Montana, and Native American Rights Fund (NARF) challenged the latest in a line of Montana laws that hinder Native American participation in the state鈥檚 electoral process 鈥� SB 490, which drastically limits access to Election Day voter registration (EDR) in Montana. These laws violate a number of provisions in the Montana Constitution: the right to vote, equal protection, and due process.