Rise and Vote: Amplify Native Voices
CLICK HERE to download a Free UNITY GOTV toolkit designed to empower Native youth in elections by increasing voter participation, representation, and advocacy strategies. The toolkit also includes links to three UNITY webinars featuring Native youth guest speakers actively engaging our community through grassroots voter education.
Why Voting Matters for Native Youth
- Representation: Voting helps Native communities elect leaders who understand and support Indigenous priorities such as land rights, sovereignty, and healthcare.
- Cultural Advocacy: Voting is a means to preserve cultural identity and protect Native traditions.
- Leadership: Native youth are the future leaders of their communities; their vote ensures their voices are heard in shaping policies that directly impact them.
Common Barriers to Native Voting
- Geographic Isolation: Many Native communities are located far from polling stations.
- Strict Voter ID Laws: Native IDs are not always accepted, and many individuals lack government-issued IDs.
- Historical Mistrust: Due to a long history of disenfranchisement, many Native people distrust political systems.
- Voter Suppression: Native communities face barriers such as inaccessible polling places, limited language support, and disenfranchisement laws.
Overcoming Voting Challenges
- Accessible Polling Places: Work to ensure polling stations and ballot drop-off locations are placed near Native communities.
- Language Assistance: Ensure voting materials are available in Native languages and interpreters are available at polling stations.
- Community Transportation: Organize transportation to polling places for elders and other community members who face logistical barriers.
- Digital Access: Create platforms that provide easy-to-understand voter information and registration guides online.
Voter Education & Outreach
- Host Registration Drives: Organize community events to educate and register voters.
- Provide Voter Guides: Share non-partisan information on candidates and ballot issues important to Native communities.
- Youth Engagement: Encourage Native youth to register and vote through youth-led campaigns and workshops.
- Social Media Campaigns: Utilize platforms like Instagram and TikTok to reach younger audiences and spread awareness about voting rights and processes.
Get Involved
- Volunteer: Help with voter registration drives, offer transportation, or volunteer as a poll worker.
- Support Indigenous Candidates: Encourage Indigenous representation in elections by supporting Native candidates.
- Promote Early Voting: Raise awareness about early voting and vote-by-mail options for communities that face Election Day challenges.
Call to Action
- Register to Vote: Ensure your registration is up-to-date and encourage others to do the same.
- Attend Town Halls: Engage with candidates and elected officials to make sure Native issues are addressed.
- Advocate for Policy Changes: Work with organizations to challenge gerrymandering and push for fair voting practices.
- Celebrate Successes: Share stories of Native communities overcoming voting barriers and inspiring others to get involved.
Resources
- Voter Rights Handbooks: Provide easy-to-access resources outlining Native voter rights.
- Community Training: Offer leadership and voter education workshops to prepare community members for civic engagement.
- Helplines: Establish voter hotlines for real-time assistance on Election Day.
Success Stories to Inspire
- Navajo Nation 2020: The Navajo Nation mobilized record voter turnout in Arizona and played a key role in election outcomes.
- Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa: Overcame restrictive voter ID laws in North Dakota by organizing and increasing voter participation.
- Youth-Led Initiatives in Wisconsin: Native youth engaged their communities in voter education and registration, leading to significant turnout increases.