SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle," political analyst Stephen Wolf wrote on Twitter. (Photo: NBC News)
Judge Voices 'Great Concern' Over North Dakota Voter ID Law, But Rejects Tribe's Lawsuit Anyway
"This decision ensures that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Native Americans will not be able to vote in the upcoming election."
Nov 01, 2018
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
Despite declaring there is "great cause for concern" that thousands of Native Americans could be illegally barred from voting under North Dakota's strict and overtly discriminatory voter ID law, a federal judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by the Spirit Lake Tribe and six individual plaintiffs arguing that the law violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle."
--Stephen Wolf, Daily Kos
"This decision ensures that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Native Americans will not be able to vote in the upcoming election," noted Slate reporter Mark Joseph Stern.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland argued that granting the tribe's request for an emergency restraining order to prevent the ID law from going into effect would cause confusion too close to the Nov. 6 midterm elections and declared that "it is highly important to preserve the status quo when elections are fast approaching."
Stephen Wolf, a political analyst with Daily Kos, called this rationale for voter suppression "ridiculous."
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle," Wolf wrote on Twitter.
\u201cNorth Dakota Republicans designed their voter ID law to disenfranchise Native Americans. It worked as intended. And the courts have permitted this flagrant voter suppression. Today is a terrible day for voting rights. https://t.co/0PS40N1aI5 @Slate\u201d— Mark Joseph Stern (@Mark Joseph Stern) 1541100326
Corey Goldstone, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center--one of the organizations representing the Spirit Lake Tribe--told The Center for Public Integrity that he is "disappointed" with the judge's ruling.
"While we are disappointed with the order, Judge Hovland was correct that the evidence indicates that disenfranchisement will be 'certain,'" Goldstone concluded. "We are considering our options."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
Despite declaring there is "great cause for concern" that thousands of Native Americans could be illegally barred from voting under North Dakota's strict and overtly discriminatory voter ID law, a federal judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by the Spirit Lake Tribe and six individual plaintiffs arguing that the law violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle."
--Stephen Wolf, Daily Kos
"This decision ensures that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Native Americans will not be able to vote in the upcoming election," noted Slate reporter Mark Joseph Stern.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland argued that granting the tribe's request for an emergency restraining order to prevent the ID law from going into effect would cause confusion too close to the Nov. 6 midterm elections and declared that "it is highly important to preserve the status quo when elections are fast approaching."
Stephen Wolf, a political analyst with Daily Kos, called this rationale for voter suppression "ridiculous."
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle," Wolf wrote on Twitter.
\u201cNorth Dakota Republicans designed their voter ID law to disenfranchise Native Americans. It worked as intended. And the courts have permitted this flagrant voter suppression. Today is a terrible day for voting rights. https://t.co/0PS40N1aI5 @Slate\u201d— Mark Joseph Stern (@Mark Joseph Stern) 1541100326
Corey Goldstone, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center--one of the organizations representing the Spirit Lake Tribe--told The Center for Public Integrity that he is "disappointed" with the judge's ruling.
"While we are disappointed with the order, Judge Hovland was correct that the evidence indicates that disenfranchisement will be 'certain,'" Goldstone concluded. "We are considering our options."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...
Despite declaring there is "great cause for concern" that thousands of Native Americans could be illegally barred from voting under North Dakota's strict and overtly discriminatory voter ID law, a federal judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by the Spirit Lake Tribe and six individual plaintiffs arguing that the law violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle."
--Stephen Wolf, Daily Kos
"This decision ensures that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Native Americans will not be able to vote in the upcoming election," noted Slate reporter Mark Joseph Stern.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland argued that granting the tribe's request for an emergency restraining order to prevent the ID law from going into effect would cause confusion too close to the Nov. 6 midterm elections and declared that "it is highly important to preserve the status quo when elections are fast approaching."
Stephen Wolf, a political analyst with Daily Kos, called this rationale for voter suppression "ridiculous."
"Letting Republican lawmakers abridge American citizens' fundamental right to vote simply because it's too close to an election is a ridiculous principle," Wolf wrote on Twitter.
\u201cNorth Dakota Republicans designed their voter ID law to disenfranchise Native Americans. It worked as intended. And the courts have permitted this flagrant voter suppression. Today is a terrible day for voting rights. https://t.co/0PS40N1aI5 @Slate\u201d— Mark Joseph Stern (@Mark Joseph Stern) 1541100326
Corey Goldstone, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center--one of the organizations representing the Spirit Lake Tribe--told The Center for Public Integrity that he is "disappointed" with the judge's ruling.
"While we are disappointed with the order, Judge Hovland was correct that the evidence indicates that disenfranchisement will be 'certain,'" Goldstone concluded. "We are considering our options."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.