A North Dakota Tribe Is Fighting to Vote, Here's Why It Matters | NYT News

Summary

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota faces challenges in voting due to a lack of physical addresses. A recent Supreme Court ruling upheld a voter ID law requiring residential addresses, which the tribe traditionally doesn't use. This has led to efforts to provide free IDs with addresses to ensure tribal members can vote in the midterm elections, highlighting the struggle for voting rights and the importance of political engagement in Native American communities.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians on a North Dakota reservation do not use physical addresses, which complicates the implementation of a voter ID law that requires addresses on identification.
• 🆔 A recent Supreme Court ruling upheld a North Dakota voter ID law, which has been a point of contention for the tribe members who traditionally do not have residential addresses.
• 🏢 The tribe members were turned away from the polls in 2014 because their IDs lacked physical addresses, leading to a legal battle against the voter ID law.
• ⚖️ A federal judge initially ruled the law unconstitutional in 2016, but the North Dakota governor signed a new law with similar rules the following year.
• 🏛️ The Supreme Court's decision to let the voter ID law stand has led to efforts by tribal leaders and advocates to help community members obtain the necessary documentation to vote.
• 📜 The tribe has created a tribal letterhead that includes a post office box, physical address, enrollment number, and photo ID to serve as a valid ID for voting purposes.
• 🏷️ Proponents of the voter ID law argue it is necessary to prevent fraud, especially in a state where voters are not required to register in advance.
• 🔎 The Native American Rights Fund states that native voters are more than twice as likely as others to lack a qualifying ID, highlighting a potential for voter suppression.
• 🗳️ The Democratic Party is actively working to inform and encourage native communities to vote, recognizing the importance of this demographic in close elections.
• 📊 The success of Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp's re-election bid is seen as dependent on high voter turnout among native North Dakotans, who are a key demographic in the state's politics.
• 🆓 In response to the voter ID law, all tribes in North Dakota are now issuing IDs for free to help community members participate in the electoral process.

Q & A

Why don't the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians use residential addresses?

They don't use physical addresses because their reservation does not have them, and they traditionally identify locations based on who lives there rather than specific addresses.

What was the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on the North Dakota voter ID law?

The Supreme Court ruling allowed a controversial North Dakota voter ID law to stand, which requires an ID with a residential address, posing a challenge for many Native Americans on reservations who do not have such addresses.

How did Richard Brakebill's experience at the polls in 2014 set the stage for the legal fight against the voter ID law?

Richard Brakebill and other members of the Turtle Mountain tribe were turned away from the polls in 2014 because their IDs did not have residential addresses. This incident led to a legal battle against the North Dakota voter ID law, arguing it was discriminatory.

What was the outcome of the initial legal case against the North Dakota voter ID law in 2016?

In 2016, a federal judge ruled the North Dakota voter ID law unconstitutional after the Turtle Mountain tribe members argued it was discriminatory, especially towards Native Americans who mostly lack physical addresses.

Why did the North Dakota governor sign a new law with the same rules as the one struck down in 2016?

Despite the 2016 ruling, the North Dakota governor signed a new law with essentially the same rules as the previous one, which led to further legal challenges from the Turtle Mountain tribe.

What measures are being taken by the tribal leaders and advocates to help Native Americans obtain the necessary documentation to vote?

Tribal leaders and advocates, including Jamie Azure, are creating tribal letterhead IDs with all necessary information and working to educate the community about the availability of free IDs to comply with the voter ID law.

How does the voter ID law's requirement for an address impact the elderly on the reservation?

The elderly on the reservation are more likely to be affected by the voter ID law because they are less likely to have a state-issued driver's license with an address, making it harder for them to obtain the necessary ID for voting.

What is the role of the Democratic Party in addressing the voter ID issue in Native American communities?

The Democratic Party is actively involved in raising awareness and helping Native Americans obtain the required IDs. They have field organizers working on reservations, including Turtle Mountain, to facilitate the process.

Why is the midterm election particularly crucial for Native Americans in North Dakota?

The midterm election is crucial because it could significantly impact federal programs and grants that are vital to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. The Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp's victory is seen as dependent on the Native American vote.

How are the tribes in North Dakota responding to the voter ID law by offering free IDs?

In response to the voter ID law, all tribes in North Dakota are now issuing IDs for free to help their members comply with the law's requirements, despite the reservation's high unemployment rate.

What is the significance of the statement 'Now we have a pen' in the context of the script?

The statement 'Now we have a pen' signifies the shift from past battles fought with physical force to present battles fought through legal and political means, emphasizing the power of voting and advocacy in contemporary struggles.