Cherokee Nation court upholds legality of new district map

Thursday, January 24, 2013  

A Cherokee Nation judge upheld the legality of the tribe's new 15-district map.

The tribe's old system had five districts. The new map creates 15 district, plus two at-large districts.

Some council members filed suit, saying the new map was unconstitutional. But Judge Bart Fite dismissed their claims in a decision issued yesterday.

"[W]hile not perfect, the council and the Election Commission used the best voter information available in a proper manner in determining the number of voters in each district," Fite wrote in his decision, The Cherokee Phoenix reported.

Get the Story:
15-district council map ruled constitutional (The Cherokee Phoenix 1/23)
Cherokee council redistricting upheld in tribal court (The Tulsa World 1/24)