EXPLAINER: Trial begins in tribes’ lawsuit over North Dakota redistricting map

By JACK DURA
Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bench trial has begung in Fargo in the federal lawsuit brought last year by two Native American tribes challenging North Dakota’s redistricting map the GOP-led Legislature approved in 2021. The Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake tribes argue the map dilutes their members’ voting strength and violates the Voting Rights Act. They propose a legislative district that encompasses the two reservations. A federal judge last year denied the state’s request to dismiss the case on the grounds that the tribes lack standing to sue. The bench trial in Fargo is estimated to last five days. A judge will decide the verdict.