North Dakota Archives | American Democracy Minute

Restrictive Voting Laws Passed in 20 States in 2025. Proof of Citizenship, Limits on Mail-In Voting and Narrower Voter ID Rules Dominated.

December 23, 2025December 23, 2025

Proof of citizenship, limits on voting by mail and narrowed voter ID options dominated the 37 restrictive state election laws passed in 2025, according to democracy legislation tracker Voting Rights Lab. Five states accounted for nearly half of the laws passed.

Native Nations Call on the U.S. Supreme Court to Uphold ‘Private Right of Action’ of Citizens to Bring Complaints Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act

September 11, 2025September 11, 2025

September 4th, Native nations asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the longstanding right of individuals to bring voting rights complaints to federal court. If the high court takes the case, its decision could have consequences for voting rights protections under the Voting Rights Act.

Redistricting Week: 60 Years After The Voting Rights Act, Racial Gerrymandering Persists, Driven by State Legislatures Trying to Retain Power

August 5, 2025August 5, 2025

You may think racial gerrymandering happened long ago and just in southern states with legacies of suppressing of African Americans. Think again. Anti-voter legislatures around the country still employ racial gerrymandering to retain political power.

Can Individuals or Advocacy Groups Sue in Voting Rights Cases? The Magic 8th Circuit Ball Says ‘No’.

July 30, 2025July 31, 2025

The federal 8th Circuit Court appears intent to block redistricting and voting rights cases by individuals and advocacy groups. July 29th, the 8th Circuit issued another finding that individuals and groups can’t sue using the Voting Rights Act.

Eighth Circuit ‘Private Right of Action’ Ruling Temporarily Halted by Justice Kavanaugh in Case by North Dakota Tribal Nations

July 22, 2025July 23, 2025

In May, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that individuals, in this case Native Americans, do not have a “private right of action” in voting rights cases. An emergency stay was granted July 22nd, and it’s likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.