On November 2, 2018, Daniel Hovland, a North Dakota District judge denied an emergency injunction from Native Americans to block the implementation of the Voter ID law. This law(previously upheld by the Supreme Court) requires all voters from North Dakota to provide a state or tribe issued ID and a street address in order to vote. Since many Native Americans in North Dakota live on reservations in rural areas, they don’t have house numbers or street names. Those that live there have to use post office box addresses in order to receive their mail. In fact, 35% of the Native American population does not have an acceptable ID or address. This has resulted in limited access towards many Native Americans to become informed voters and gaining outside resources.
Many Native Americans claim that this law is an act of voter suppression but this allegation has been dismissed due to upcoming elections. Since North Dakota has one of the smallest state populations in the U.S., they don’t find it necessary to install a voter registration system for their citizens. Hovland defends the Voter ID law, claiming that this is the only way to ensure who is voting. However, this is also the same judge that said implementing this new Voter ID law would be a burden for Native Americans that are attempting to exercise their right to vote.
Question: Do you think that North Dakota is being fair towards its citizens by implementing a Voter ID law or should they focus on creating a voter registration system?
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/judge-denies-native-american-motion-block-voter-id/story?id=58923035
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/31/politics/native-american-tribe-suing-north-dakota-voter-id/index.html
I think North Dakota NEEDS to create a voter registration system. How are they going to ignore the fact that such a significant part of the Native American population can't vote? Political leaders are always saying how they want people to use their voice and be heard but when the Native Americans brought this issue to Hovland, he ignored them. He's contradicting himself because he's not helping the Natives when he acted like he would. The state of North Dakota should be more aware about the situation of the Natives, and create a voter registration system in order to give them an equal right to vote.
ReplyDeleteYes, agreed. I believe that political leaders in North Dakota are not being helpful in supporting Native Americans to exercise their right to vote.
DeleteI agree with Angel’s comment above, how can North Dakota ignore so many people? By not fixing the voter resgistration system, they are silencing the votes of Native Americans who don’t have voter id, which is wrong.
ReplyDelete