Home : Affiliates

ACLU Sues South Dakota Secretary Of State Over Illegal Voter Disfranchisement (02/18/2009)
SIOUX FALLS, SD – The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court today to restore the voting rights of two American Indian women who were illegally disfranchised in November's election. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of South Dakota on behalf of Kim Colhoff and Eileen Janis, who attempted to vote last fall but were improperly removed from the voter rolls due to felony convictions. Because state law only disfranchises individuals sentenced to prison and both women were just sentenced to probation, election officials unlawfully took away their voting rights.

Federal Court Upholds Native American Voting Rights In South Dakota Lawsuit (12/16/2008)
ST. LOUIS – A federal appeals court today affirmed a decision protecting the rights of Native American voters in Martin, South Dakota. Siding with the American Civil Liberties Union, the U.S. Appeals Court for the Eight Circuit ordered local officials to correct violations of the Voting Rights Act that prevented Native Americans from having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice.

ACLU To Open Office In South Dakota (09/09/2008)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that it will open a new office in South Dakota, enabling a significant expansion of its work on civil liberties in the state. Robert Doody, a longtime advocate of American Indians' rights who has extensive experience in tribal, state and federal courts as well as nonprofit management, will lead the South Dakota National Chapter as Executive Director beginning October 7.

ACLU Wins Historic Agreement in South Dakota Voting Rights Case (12/04/2007)
LAKE ANDES, SD – In a historic agreement reached today with the American Civil Liberties Union, a South Dakota county has agreed to federal supervision of its elections through 2024. The settlement resolves a 2005 ACLU lawsuit charging Charles Mix County with discriminating against Native American voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Native American Families and Winner School District Announce Settlement in Case Alleging Discrimination (06/18/2007)
WINNER, SD - The Winner/Ideal Native American community and the Winner School District announced today that an agreement has been reached to settle a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of Native American students attending Winner schools.

ACLU Condemns Vote in South Dakota House of Representatives Approving Legislation Aimed at Banning Abortions in That State (02/15/2007)
PIERRE, SD -- The American Civil Liberties Union today condemned a vote in the South Dakota House of Representatives approving legislation aimed at banning almost all abortions in that state. The legislation comes on the heels of a statewide election last November that repealed a similar ban at the polls.

Federal Court Sides with Native American Voters in South Dakota (12/06/2006)
PIERRE, SD - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a federal district court decision in favor of Native Americans voters in Martin, South Dakota. The decision, which was released late yesterday, orders city officials to redraw city council district lines to correct violations of the Voting Rights Act that prevented Native Americans from having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice.

ACLU Celebrates Victory for Women’s Health As South Dakotans Defeat Extreme Abortion Ban (11/08/2006)
PIERRE, SD — The American Civil Liberties Union today celebrated the defeat of a dangerous and extreme ban on virtually all abortions in South Dakota. A referendum to repeal the ban was on yesterday’s ballot in the statewide election.

South Dakota Ordered to Comply with Voting Rights Act (08/22/2006)
ST. LOUIS, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a final federal appeals court decision affirming the redrawing of legislative district lines in South Dakota to ensure there is no discrimination against Native American voters. The decision came in Bone Shirt v. Hazeltine, a case originally brought by the ACLU on behalf of four Native American voters in December 2001, after the South Dakota legislature redrew the boundaries of the state's 35 legislative districts.

ACLU Applauds South Dakotans’ Efforts to Protect Women’s Health and Safety in Light of Extreme Abortion Ban (05/30/2006)
PIERRE, SD -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the efforts of South Dakotans to protect women’s health and safety in light of an extreme and dangerous abortion ban. The South Dakota Campaign for Health Families brought petitions with over 37,800 signatures today to the state capitol in order to place a repeal of the ban on the November ballot.

ACLU Calls on Department of Education to Halt Enforcement of Law That Refuses Financial Aid to Students With Drug Convictions (05/26/2006)
ABERDEEN, SD - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a motion in federal court seeking an order that would immediately bar the Department of Education from enforcing a provision of the Higher Education Act that denies financial aid to students convicted of a drug offense. The aid elimination penalty has blocked aid to approximately 200,000 would-be students since its enactment in 2000.

Appeals Court Sides With Native American Voters in South Dakota (05/05/2006)
PIERRE, SD -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded an appeals court decision in favor of Native Americans who say that the city of Martin violated the Voting Rights Act by drawing districts that dilute the voting strength of Native Americans.

ACLU Fights to End Discriminatory Prosecution of Native American Students (03/28/2006)
SIOUX FALLS, SD – The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against the Winner School District in South Dakota, charging that the District maintains an environment hostile to Native Americans by, among other things, disciplining Native American students more harshly than Caucasians and by forcing them to sign “confessions” for minor rule breaking, which often leads to juvenile court convictions.

ACLU Calls on South Dakotans to Join the Effort to Stop Extreme Abortion Ban (03/24/2006)
PIERRE, SD - The American Civil Liberties Union of the Dakotas today joined a broad coalition to stop South Dakota’s extreme and dangerous ban on virtually all abortions. The newly formed group, the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, called upon South Dakotans today to sign a petition that would place a repeal of the abortion ban on the November ballot.

ACLU Says South Dakota’s Extreme Abortion Ban Will Endanger Women’s Health and Lives (03/06/2006)
PIERRE, SD - The American Civil Liberties Union decried the South Dakota Governor’s decision to sign into law today a ban on virtually all abortions.

Federal Court Orders South Dakota to Comply with Voting Rights Act (08/19/2005)
RAPID CITY, SD-The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a federal court in South Dakota has issued a final ruling ordering the redrawing of legislative district lines to ensure there is no discrimination against Native American voters in 13 of the state's 66 counties. The order came in a case originally brought by the ACLU on behalf of four Native American voters in December 2001, after the South Dakota legislature redrew the boundaries of the state's 35 legislative districts.

District Court Ruling in Quiver v. Nelson (07/14/2005)

Three-Judge Panel Rules Unanimously in Favor of Native American Voters in South Dakota (07/14/2005)
RAPID CITY, SD -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a panel of three federal court judges has issued an injunction against the state of South Dakota, ruling unanimously that state officials must comply with the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) and obtain prior approval from the Department of Justice before implementing a new law that the judges say ""gives the appearance of a rushed attempt to circumvent the VRA.""

South Dakota Schools Discriminating Against Native American Students, Charge ACLU and Tribe (06/23/2005)
WASHINGTON -- In a complaint filed today with the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of 14 Native American families, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Attorney General of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe charge that the public school district in Winner, South Dakota discriminates against Native American children in its disciplinary practices and denies these students their right to equal educational opportunities.

ACLU Charges South Dakota County Blocking Native Americans from Holding Public Office (01/27/2005)
CHARLES MIX COUNTY, SD--The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit charging the Charles Mix County Commission with violating Native American voting rights by using election districts that are unequal in population and divide the Native American community.

Federal Court Rules South Dakota Violated Voting Rights of Native Americans (09/15/2004)
PIERRE, SD-In an historic victory for voting rights, a federal court today ruled that South Dakota violated the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act when it approved a statewide redistricting plan that dilutes the voting power of Native Americans.

ACLU of the Dakotas Challenges Districting Scheme That Prevents Native Americans From Holding Office (03/20/2003)
BUFFALO COUNTY, SD-In a blatant violation of the ""one person, one vote"" principle, the county commission here has for years maintained district lines that intentionally dilute the voting strength of Native American voters by more than 20 times what the Constitution allows, the American Civil Liberties Union today charged in a federal lawsuit.

Following ACLU Lawsuit on Behalf of Native Americans, SD Officials Agree to Fair School Board Elections (03/18/2003)
RAPID CITY, SD--The American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project today announced a court-approved settlement of a lawsuit with a school district whose "at-large" system for school board elections discriminated against members of the Native American community.

South Dakota Settles Largest-Ever Voting Rights Lawsuit Brought by ACLU on Behalf of Native Americans (11/07/2002)
RAPID CITY, SD--After nearly 30 years of ignoring a federal law meant to protect Native Americans from voting discrimination, state and county officials here have agreed to obtain Justice Department approval of more than 600 statutes and regulations that affect elections in the state, the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project announced today.

Don't Let Government Intimidation Keep You From the Polls, ACLU Tells Native American Voters in South Dakota (10/30/2002)
ATLANTA--The Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of the Dakotas is urging all eligible Native Americans to vote on November 5 despite attempts by South Dakota officials to intimidate them.

ACLU Files Largest-Ever Voting Rights Lawsuit on Behalf of Native Americans in South Dakota (08/05/2002)
RAPID CITY, SD--Saying that state officials have for nearly 30 years ignored a federal law meant to protect minorities from voting discrimination, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit on behalf of four Native Americans against state and local officials for failing to obtain Justice Department approval of more than 600 statutes and regulations that affect voting and elections in the state.

South Dakota School Officials Terrorized Kindergarten Classes with Drug-Sniffing Dogs, ACLU Charges (07/25/2002)
SIOUX FALLS, SD--The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of 17 Native American students - some as young as six years old - who were terrorized when public school officials and law enforcement officers brought in a German Shepherd to conduct a suspicionless drug sweep of all K-12 classrooms. One of the plaintiffs in the case, Jonathan Heth, 2nd grade