US EditionChippewa Cree Tribe sues Montana county, alleging unfair election system
The lawsuit alleges Chouteau County's election system prevents Native American voters, who make up about 21% of the voting-age population, from electing preferred candidates, violating federal law.
- On August 18, 2025, members of the Chippewa Cree community along with two indigenous voters initiated legal action against Chouteau County, Montana, challenging the county’s at-large election system for allegedly weakening the voting influence of Native Americans.
- In November 2023, the tribe informed county officials that holding elections at-large violated the federal Voting Rights Act and expressed willingness to collaborate on finding a fairer alternative.
- The lawsuit states Chouteau County overlaps with about one third of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, where Native Americans constitute approximately 25.8% of the population and 20.71% of voters.
- Chippewa Cree Chairman Harlan Gopher stated that they are initiating legal action because Native votes are not being fairly counted in Chouteau County elections, according to the ACLU of Montana.
- The plaintiffs seek a court order to end at-large elections and implement a district-based plan that ensures Native voters can elect a candidate of their choice, addressing ongoing vote dilution.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Helena Independent Record
Chippewa Cree Tribe sues county commissioners for alleged voting rights violations
"This system allows the white majority in Chouteau County to control the outcome of every commissioner election and prevents Native American voters ... from electing candidates of their choice."
Chippewa Cree Tribe Sues Montana County, Alleging Unfair Election System
The Chippewa Cree Tribe and two Native American voters filed a lawsuit against Chouteau County and its board of commissioners, alleging the Montana county’s election system dilutes the power of Native voters.
Associated Press News
Greensburg Daily NewsChippewa Cree Tribe sues Montana county, alleging unfair election system
The Chippewa Cree Tribe and two Native American voters filed a lawsuit against Chouteau County and its board of commissioners, alleging the Montana county’s election system dilutes the power of Native voters.
Daily Montanan
Chippewa Cree tribal members allege Chouteau County elections are discriminatory
The Chouteau County Courthouse in Fort Benton, Montana (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan).A new federal lawsuit alleges Chouteau County prevents Native American voters from fully participating in elections for Board of Commissioners, and county officials have been unresponsive to working on a joint solution with the Chippewa Cree Tribe. In the complaint, the Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and a couple of trib…
Chippewa Cree Tribe sues Chouteau County, alleging unfair election system
The Chippewa Cree Tribe and two Native American voters on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Chouteau County and its board of commissioners, alleging the county’s election system dilutes the power of Native voters. Chouteau County commissioners serve staggered terms and are elected on an “at-large” basis, meaning all voters in the county elect commissioners, regardless of the districts they represent. Located in northcentral Montana, Chouteau Coun…
Chippewa Cree Indians of Rocky Boy Sue Choteau County for Vote Dilution
On August 14, 2025, the Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation and two Native voters filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana challenging Chouteau County’s unfair, at-large voting system for the Board of County Commissioners. The suit alleges the system unlawfully dilutes the voting strength of Native voters and has denied them any representation on the County Commission for more than a decade. Read…
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