by Candice Norwood
Most residents on reservations receive mail at P.O. Boxes instead of their homes. But the Tohono O’odham Nation reservation — which at 4,460 square miles is about the size of Connecticut — has a single post office. That’s not unique to this one reservation. A 2020 report by Native American Rights Fund determined that some members of the Navajo Nation must travel 140 miles roundtrip for postal services. Many do not have access to personal vehicles or public transportation to get them there, said Jean Schroedel, a political science professor at Claremont Graduate School who specializes in Native American voting rights.
“This is a group that has real serious challenges in trying to do voting by mail,” Schroedel said.
Traveling to the post office is not the only obstacle posed by mail voting. Sometimes several native families share a single P.O. Box. Others may have a P.O. Box located in a different state from their residence on a reservation because of how state lines cross through tribal land, said Jacqueline De León, a staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund. This can create confusion and errors for election officials processing mailed ballots, she said.
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Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
Which sentence should be included in an objective summary of the passage?
(1 point)
Responses
The author explains a study that shows how far some people of the Navajo Nation must travel to reach the nearest post office.
The author explains a study that shows how far some people of the Navajo Nation must travel to reach the nearest post office.
Many Native Americans living on reservations receive mail at a P.O. Box, which poses several challenges when voting by mail.
Many Native Americans living on reservations receive mail at a P.O. Box, which poses several challenges when voting by mail.
Native Americans may live in one state but have a P.O. Box registered in another because of how state lines cross through tribal land.
Native Americans may live in one state but have a P.O. Box registered in another because of how state lines cross through tribal land.
The article’s author clearly explains why P.O. Boxes cause errors and confusion by providing specific examples.
The article’s author clearly explains why P.O. Boxes cause errors and confusion by providing specific examples.
1 answer
The sentence that should be included in an objective summary of the passage is:
"Many Native Americans living on reservations receive mail at a P.O. Box, which poses several challenges when voting by mail."
This sentence captures the main idea of the passage, focusing on the challenges faced by Native Americans regarding voting access due to their reliance on P.O. Boxes for mail delivery.
