Natives being disenfranchised in red states

President Joe Biden is restoring the White House Tribal Nations Summit after the former guy declared war on Indian Country and undercounted Indigenous Americans. But, Republicans want citizens to believe democracy isn’t for everybody.

Experts say Native voters could lose a lot if they don’t turn out this election, as their representation — and their power — in the Legislature are at stake. Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is running unopposed for House District 32. He is particularly passionate about issues concerning bison, education, tribal languages and missing and murdered Indigenous people. He said the lack of political engagement for matters outside the reservation isn’t new. If Native voters don’t get to the polls, he said, “We’ll lose our seats. That’s the bottom line.” Windy Boy said he expects issues of bison, women’s rights and gun control to come up this legislative session, as they do every year. But this time, he’s also preparing for Montana’s constitution to come under attack. [On the Rocky Boy Reservation, voters feel ignored, resentful]

With guidance from the Koch's American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC North and South Dakota Republicans passed legislation that disenfranchised Native voters.

A recent court ruling that found South Dakota violated federal voting registration laws has reignited the long-standing concern over Native American ballot access as the state braces for a 2022 gubernatorial election that could hinge on Indian Country precincts. In a state with nearly 78,000 Indigenous residents, comprising 8.8% of the population, advocates of greater Native enfranchisement have worked to enlist new voters in areas such as the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations that lean left-of-center politically. Relations worsened in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the governor engaged in a legal standoff with tribal officials over their use of roadside checkpoints to try to control the spread of the coronavirus on reservations. Many states used federal COVID funds to promote awareness of the census and help reach hard-to-count populations during the pandemic. South Dakota did not, despite an estimated 1.4% statewide undercount in 2010. [Push for greater Native American voting access could impact South Dakota race for governor]

We all know Republican South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is a racist but now my home state has gone from being America's laughing stock to becoming a co-conspirator in hate crimes. Noem has simply become a pinup for the Kochs and boycotting South Dakota is apparently the only language the Republican Party seems to understand.