Native American Voting Rights Coalition Hearing Documents Voter Suppression

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF), along with Partners from the Native American Voting Rights Coalition, held its First in a Series of Field Hearings to Document the Voter Suppression efforts already underway in Native Communities across the Country

Voting Rights Hearing, North Dakota (09/05/2017) - This Hearing, which included Testimony from Tribal Members, Elected Officials, and Community Advocates, Documented persistent Suppression of the Native Vote in the Midwestern Region encompassing North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. In follow-up to the Hearing, until October 6th, Midwestern Native Voters and Advocates are Invited to Submit Testimony about their Experiences Voting in Local, State, and Federal Elections. Email Experiences to vote@narf.org.

Testimony from the Hearing Identified a Number of Barriers to Equal Voting Rights, for example, Unreasonably Long Distances to Polls and Inability to Access Transportation keep Natives from Voting. Panelists also told of a Distrust of State, County, and Local Officials as well as Open Hostility from Poll Workers. Additionally, uncertainty about Voter Eligibility due to recent Law Changes has chilled Native Voting due to Fear of being turned away at the Polls.

As Jacqueline De León, Voting Rights Fellow for the Native American Rights Fund explains, “Tribal members should not have to expend precious resources getting to distant polls all the while doubting whether or not they will be allowed to vote. I was shocked by the wide range of arbitrary and unreasonable requirements that make Native Americans feel unwelcome or keep them from voting altogether. This is true voter suppression.”

In addition to Systemic Obstacles, Testimony detailed more Specific Examples like:

- Dismal Conditions at Reservation Voting Polling Locations, one of which included a dirt floor Chicken Coop that did not have Restrooms.

- Restrictions on the Number of Voter Registrations that one can Submit to the County Clerk’s Office, requiring Repeated Trips to the Office.

- County Employees chastising Organizers Submitting Voter Registrations for being a “Nuisance” and “Making More Work” for the County Office by Submitting Native American Registrations.

- Notifications sent to Reservation Residents that Incorrectly informed them they are No Longer Residing in the District where they had Registered and Failing to Identify the Correct District.

- Being Turned Away at the Polls because a Tribal Identification Card did not include a Street Address.

- Poll Workers who fell Silent whenever a Native American entered the Polling Location.

Discussing the President's Voter Fraud Commission, “These are the real problems in American elections,” said NARF Staff Attorney Natalie Landreth, “but instead the sham commission is focusing on non-existent voter fraud. It’s like setting up a commission to hunt for unicorns, totally pointless.”

NARF Plans a Series of Hearings all across Indian Country to Highlight these Problems and find Solutions.

If you have Experienced Challenges or Barriers to Voting, or Experienced Native Voter Intimidation or other Suppressive Tactics, but cannot make it to one of NARF’s Hearings, please email your Experiences to vote@narf.org, and they will include them in their Growing Record.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Voting Rights Win in Alaska

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and Alaska have jointly announced an agreement that requires the state to provide translation of election materials and ballots into Gwich’in and several Yup’ik dialects. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason, who presided over the lawsuit that resulted in the settlement, also ordered increased bilingual training for election workers, expanded collaboration with Native language experts and tribal councils, meaningful outreach to voters, and additional help for those with limited English-language proficiency.

Alaska Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott, who is of Tlingit heritage, called the agreement “historic.” He said it “will strengthen our election process, so that voters can have the opportunity to understand fully all voting information before they vote.”

Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act mandates the assistance just won in Alaska. However, some governments, such as Alaska’s in years past, have avoided providing it. It took two major language-assistance lawsuits to achieve the current success, noted plaintiffs’ attorney, James Tucker, of Armstrong Teasdale, in Las Vegas.

Interim language-assistance measures put in place for the 2014 election showed what happens when people feel included. Turnout surged in Native villages, and Alaska Native voters were credited with helping elect a Native Lieutenant Governor, protect the vast Bristol Bay region from mining and increase the state’s minimum wage. Now the measures will be permanent and part of a roll call of breakthroughs in the state, including expanded early voting and vigorous get-out-the-vote campaigns.

Mail-in elections often shift translation duties to relatives, explained Tucker. “Under the law, voters may receive assistance from a person of their choice, but jurisdictions can’t require that families translate.”

According to Tucker, hammering out the agreement took several months because both sides wanted to be sure it complied with the law and accommodated real-world election-administration issues. “For instance, it takes time to translate, print and distribute an election-information pamphlet, so we factored that in.” Another example: data limits on touch-screen voting machines don’t yet allow for as many languages and dialects as paper ballots.

Allan Hayton, representing plaintiff Arctic Village, lauded the agreement: “Diiginjik K’yaa it’ee łyaa chil’ee ts’a’ gwiintł’oo riheeł’ee, aii eenjit jii dehtł’yaa kat gaayii gwiriłtsaii shoo tr’inlii ts’a’ hai’ tr’indhan. We treasure our language and hold it in high respect, so we are happy and grateful for this important victory.”











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker