"Voting Access for Native Americans"

Question

by Candice Norwood

Another lawsuit, brought by members of the Navajo Nation, seeks to change Arizona’s requirement that mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Native Americans instead want ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 13 to be counted, which a number of states have done to accommodate voting during the pandemic.

The plaintiffs’ complaint pointed to the fact that there is one post office for every 707 square miles on the reservation, and that only about 29 percent of tribe members own cars. The lawsuit does not mention access to polling places for the general election. Navajo County, Arizona, is a 9,960-square-mile area of which about 6,500 square miles are reservation land for three different tribes — Navajo Nation, Hopi and Fort Apache. Between the three tribes the county will have eight early voting sites and 20 Election Day voting sites located on reservation land, according to the county recorder’s office.

In response to the Arizona lawsuit, President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign filed a motion stating that extending the ballot return deadline “would sow confusion and delay in the administration of the upcoming General Election and all future elections.” The campaign did not return a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Answer 1

The article "Voting Access for Native Americans" by Candice Norwood discusses a lawsuit filed by members of the Navajo Nation aimed at changing Arizona's voting regulations regarding mail ballots. The plaintiffs argue that the current requirement, which mandates that mail ballots be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, unfairly disadvantages Native American voters. They propose an alternative that would allow ballots to be postmarked by Election Day (November 3) but received by November 13, a practice that has been adopted by several states during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance voting accessibility.

The lawsuit highlights the logistical challenges faced by Native American voters, particularly in the Navajo Nation, where there is a disproportionately low number of post offices—one for every 707 square miles—and about 29% of tribal members have access to a vehicle. The geographical size of Navajo County, encompassing nearly 10,000 square miles with significant portions of reservation land, exacerbates these challenges, despite the county providing some early voting and Election Day sites.

In opposition to this lawsuit, President Trump's reelection campaign has filed a motion arguing against the deadline extension, claiming it would lead to confusion and delays in the election process. The campaign has not provided additional comments on the lawsuit. This ongoing legal battle underlines the broader issues of voting accessibility and equity for Native Americans in Arizona and potentially sets a precedent for future voting rights discussions.