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TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2002

The tribes on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana are reviewing plans to change how commissioners in a local county are elected.

The tribes are part of a court case which ruled Blaine County's method discriminated against Native voters. The reservation cuts through the county but no Native has ever been elected to the commission.

The tribes didn't submit its own plan to correct for dilution of voting rights so leaders are considering signing off on the county's proposal. The Great Falls Tribune in an editorial calls the effort just one of the "small steps of progress" even though it was court ordered.

The Department of Justice sued the county for violations of voting laws. The county enlisted Mountain States Legal Foundation, a Colorado firm which once employed Secretary of Interior Gale Norton, to defend the voting system.

Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca W. Watson was also helping the county prior to joining the Bush administration.

Get the Story:
Tribes to discuss redistricting plan for Blaine County (The Great Falls Tribune 5/14)
Editorial: Steps will increase Indians' role in their communities (The Great Falls Tribune 5/14)

Related Stories:
Delay in Mont. districts sought (4/25)
Mont. county official regrets lawsuit (4/17)
Changes to voting system questioned (4/10)
Mont. county to discuss new districts (4/8)
Nothing ever happens in Blaine (3/28)
County blames Native 'problem' on feds (3/27)
Mont. voting system ruled illegal (3/26)
Interior pick fighting Native voting rights (11/6)
Native voting rights case on trial (10/10)