► U.S. Judge Daniel Hovland of Bismarck, ND; one of the good guys

The state of North Dakota presented Daniel L. Hovland with a law license in 1979 after he graduated from the University of North Dakota Law School.

In 2002, former President George W. Bush nominated Hovland for a seat on the U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota.

In one matter, Judge Hovland was assigned to hear a case filed by seven (7) Native American voters who filed a federal lawsuit against the state claiming measures passed by the Republican-led legislature in 2013 and 2015 were unconstitutional and violated the U.S. Voting Rights Act. (Reuters)

On August 1, 2016, Judge Hovland issued a preliminary injunction against North Dakota’s voting law. In his ruling, Hovland said:

The law adds “substantial and disproportionate burdens” for Native American voters compared to other voters in the state.

“No eligible voter, regardless of their station in life, should be denied the opportunity to vote.’

It is undisputed that North Dakota is and has been a reliable Red State for many, many years. In fact, the last time it voted for a Democrat for President was in 1964 when they voted for LBJ over Senator Barry Goldwater.

As a nominee of George Bush, one can safely assume that Judge Hovland is a conservative jurist. Therefore, his ruling is even more remarkable given this fact.

Kudos to Judge Daniel Hovland for having the courage and fortitude to do the right thing in ruling that Native Americans in North Dakota have the same right as every other citizen to cast a vote.

As we speak (ca. August 2016), Judge Hovland continues to sit as a U.S. District Court judge in Bismarck, North Dakota.