On August 10, a U.S. District Court in Wyoming ruled that Fremont County must use single-member districts to elect its five county commissioners.  The court had already ruled back on April 29 that the current system, in which all five are elected at-large, violates the Voting Rights Act.  Under the at-large system, American Indians were never able to elect one of their own.

The county had then proposed that there be two districts, one in which American Indians would be a majority and which would elect one member.  And, another, more populous district, which would elect four members at-large.  But on August 10, the judge rejected that plan.  A special election will be required to hold a special election in 2011 for County Commission, assuming the decision stands.  The Wyoming primary is August 17, and it is obviously impossible to draw single-member districts before that primary is held.  County commission in Wyoming is a partisan office.  Three seats are up this year, but the county had already deleted the County Commission races from the primary ballot because of the pending lawsuit.  Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for this news.  The case is Large v Fremont County, 05-cv-0270.