Editorial: County should stop discrimination against Indian vote

Opinion

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

"Fremont County's attempts to circumvent a federal judge's order to stop disenfranchising American Indian voters have thus far been stubborn and foolhardy. The latest -- an effort to convince the Legislature to change state law -- is frankly an embarrassment to all of Wyoming.

Lawmakers should scrap this plan immediately and effectively tell Fremont County officials that the state won't tolerate efforts to continue racially discriminating against voters. But on Monday the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee approved a bill 9-4 that would allow the county to create a hybrid voting system aimed at sidestepping the judge's ruling. The measure will go to the full Legislature next year.

How did we get to the point where legislators from outside Fremont County are rushing to the county's defense at the expense of members of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes?

Five years ago, five Wind River Indian Reservation residents sued Fremont County for infringing upon their voting rights by electing county commissioners at large, meaning they could live anywhere in the county. The American Civil Liberties Union noted that under an at-large system, where all voters can vote on all seats up for election, a bloc-voting majority can control the outcome of all elections. The minority voting strength is diluted."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Tell Fremont County to stop discrimination (The Casper Star-Tribune 11/15)

Lawsuit Documents:
Large v. Fremont County (ACLU)